
Class. jUAliO 

Book ■ yg. 



PRESENTED BY 



THE SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY. 
GENERAL EDITOR PROFESSOR 
I. GOLLANCZ, LITT.D. 




THE ROGUES AND VAGABONDS 
OF SHAKESPEARE'S YOUTH : 
AWDELEY'S < FRATERNITYE OF 
VACABONDES' AND HARMAN'S 
< CAVEAT ' : EDITED WITH AN 
INTRODUCTION BY EDWARD 
VILES AND F. J. FURNIVALL 




NEW YORK 

DUFFIELD & COMPANY 

LONDON: CHATTO & WINDUS 

1907 



}^ 



mm 

"09 



CONTENTS 



5"fwe i 

Awdeley's Fraternitye, not plagiarized from, but pub- 
lished 'a fewe yeares' before, Harman's Caveat ... i 

Harman's Caueat : two states of the 2nd edition. The 

latter, now called the 3rd edition, is reprinted here ... v 

Piraters from Harman : Bynnyman, and G. Dewes ... vi 

Short account of Thomas Harman ... ... ... ... vii 

Harrison's quotation of Harman, and his account of English 

Vagabonds, and the punishments for them ... ... xi 

The Groundworks of Canny -catching is a reprint of Harman's 

Caueat, with an Introduction ... ... ... ... xiv 

Dekker's Belman of London : its borrowings from Harman xiv 
S. Rowlands's Martin Mark-all shows up Dekker, and ha9 

new Cant words ... ... ... ... ... xvi 

Dekker's Lanthorn and Candle-light borrows from Har- 
man : Canting Song from it ... ... ... ... xix 

The Caterpillers of this Nation anatomized ... ... xxi 

A Warning for Housebreakers ... ... ... ... xxi 

Street Bobberies considered ... ... ... ... xxii 

Parson Haben's or Hyberdyne's Sermon in Praise of 

Thieves and Thievery ... ... ... ... xxiv 

Shares in the present work ... ... ... ... xxiv 

1. ^fobfkg's J rattrnitge of ©atabonbts, with tbe .nb. #rbcrs of 

JLnaats (p. 12-16) 1-16 

2. fjarman's Caaeat or <G>Tarmthrg for Commen Cbrsctors bul- 

gardg ralUb $agabonts 17-91 

3. parson fjabea's (or fjnkrbjrnx's) Sermon in praise of 

fthhbrs anb olhhbrrg 92-95 

4. ^\t (Uroonbbjorh of Comrjj-eatehhtg : those parts that are 

not reprinted from Harman's Caueat ... ... 96-103 

5. $oits ... 103-107 

6. |nbcr 108-116 



PREFACE. 



If the ways and slang of Vagabonds and Beggars interested 
Martin Luther enough to make him write a preface to the Liber Vaga- 
torum 1 in 1528, two of the ungodly may be excused for caring, in 
1869, for the old Eogues of their English land, and for putting 
together three of the earliest tracts about them. Moreover, these 
tracts are part of the illustrative matter that we want round our great 
book on Elizabethan England, Harrison's Description of Britain, and 
the chief of them is quoted by the excellent parson who wrote that 
book. 

The first of these three tracts, Awdeley's Fraternitye of Vaca- 
bondes, has been treated by many hasty bibliographers, who can never 
have taken the trouble to read the first three leaves of Harman's 
book, as later than, and a mere pilfering from, Harman's Caueat. No 
such accusation, however, did Harman himself bring against the 
worthy printer-author (herein like printer-author Crowley, though he 
was preacher too,) who preceded him. In his Epistle dedicatory to 
the Countes of Shrewsbury, p. 20, below, Harman, after speaking 
of ' these wyly wanderers,' vagabonds, says in 1566 or 1567, 

There was a fewe yeares since a small breefe setf orth of some zelous 
man to his countrey, — of whom I knowe not, — that made a lytle shewe 
of there names and vsage, and gaue a glymsinge lyghte, not sufficient 
to perswade of their peuishe peltinge and pickinge practyses, but well 
worthy of prayse. 

' Liber Vagatorum : Der Better Orden : First printed about 1514. Its 
first section gives a special account of the several orders of the ' Fraternity of 
Vagabonds ; ' the 2nd, sundry notabilia relating to them ; the 3rd consists of a 
1 Rotwelsche Vocabulary,' or ' Canting Dictionary.* See a long notice in the 
Wiemarisches Jahrbuch, vol. 10; 1856. Hotten's Slang Dictionary : Biblio- 
graphy. 



ii awdeley's fraternitte of vacabondes. 

This description of the ' small breefe,' and the ' lytle shewe ' of 
the ' names and vsage,' exactly suits Awdeley's tract ; and the ' fewe 
yeares since ' also suits the date of what may be safely assumed to 
be the first edition of the Fraternitye, by John Awdeley or John 
Sampson, or Sampson Awdeley, — for by all these names, says Mr 
Payne Collier, was our one man known : — 

It may be disputed whether this printer's name were really Sampson, 
or Awdeley : he was made free of the Stationers' Company as Sampson, 
and so he is most frequently termed towards the commencement of the 
Register ; but he certainly wrote and printed his name Awdeley or 
Awdela}' ; now and then it stands in the Register ' Sampson Awdeley.' 
It is the more important to settle the point, because ... he was not 
only a printer, but a versifier, 1 and ought to have been included by 
Ritson in his Bibliographica Poetica. (Registers of the Stationers' Com- 
pany, a.d. 1848, vol. i. p. 23.) 

These verses of Awdeley's, or Sampson's, no doubt led to his 
' small breefe ' being entered in the Stationers' Register as a 'ballett' : 

" 1560-1. E,d. of John Sampson, for his lycense for pryntinge 

of a ballett called the description of vakaboundes .... iiij d . 

" [This entry seems to refer to an early edition of a very curious work, 
printed again by Sampson, alias Awdeley, in 1565, when it bore the 
following title, ' The fraternitie of vacabondes, as well of rufling vaca- 
bones as of beggerly, 2 as well of women as of men, 2 and as well of 
gyrles as of boyes, with their proper names and qualityes. Also the 
xxv. orders of knaves, otherwise called a quartten of knawes. Con- 
firmed this yere by Cocke Lorel.' The edition without date mentioned 
by Dibdin (iv. 564) may have been that of the entry. Another im- 
pression by Awdeley, dated 1575 [which we reprint] is reviewed in the 
British Bibliographer, ii. 12, where it is asserted (as is very probable, 
though we are without distinct evidence of the fact) that the printer 
was the compiler of the book, and he certainly introduces it by three 
6ix-line stanzas. If this work came out originally in 1561, according 
to the entry, there is no doubt that it was the precursor of a very 
singular series of traets on the same subject, which will be noticed in 
their proper places.] " — J. P. Collier, Registers, i. 42. 

As above said, I take Harman's 'fewe yeares' — in 1566 or 7 — to 
point to the 1561 edition of Awdeley, and not the 1565 ed. And as to 
Awdeley's authorship, — what can be more express than his own words, 

1 See the back of his title-page, p. 2. below. 
2 an well and and as well not in the title of the 1576 edition. 



AWDELEY S FRATERNITYE OF VACABONDES. Ill 

p. 2, below, that what the Vagabond caught at a Session confest as to 
1 both names and states of most and least of this their Vacabondes 
brotherhood,' that, — ' .at the request of a worshipful man, I [' The 
Printer,' that is, John Awdeley] have set it forth as well as I can.' 

But if a doubt on Awdeley's priority to Harruan exists in any 
reader's mind, let him consider this second reference by Harman to 
Awdeley (p. 60, below), not noticed by the bibliographers : "For- 
as-much as these two names, a Iarkeman and a Patrico, bee in the 
old briefe of vagabonds, and set forth as two kyndes of euil doers, 
you shall vnderstande that a Iarkeman hath his name of a IarJce, 
which is a seale in their Language, as one should make writinges and 
set seales for lycences and pasporte," and then turn to Awdeley's 
Fraternitye of Vacabondes, and there see, at page 5, below : 

^f A IACK MAN. 

A Iackeinan is he that can write and reade, and sometime speake latin. 
He vseth to make counterfaite licences which they call Gybes, and sets to 
Seales, in their language called Iarkes. (See also 'A Whipiacke,' p. 4.) 

Let the reader then compare Harman's own description of a 
Patrico, p. 60, with that in ' the old Briefe of Vacabonds,' Awdeley, 
p. 6: 

Awdeley. Harman. 

If A Patriarke Co. there is a Patrico . . . 

A Patriarke Co doth make ma- whiche in their language is a priest, 

riages, & that is vntill death that should make manages tyll 

depart the maried folke. death dyd depart. 

And surely no doubt on the point Avill remain in his mind, though, 
if needed, a few more confirmations could be got, as 

Awdeley (p. 4). Harman (p. 44). 

^f A Palliard. <ft A Pallyard. 

A Palliard is he that goeth in a These Palliardes . . go with patched 

patched cloke, and hys Doxy clokes, and haue their Morts with 

goeth in like apparell. them. 

We may conclude, then, certainly, that Awdeley did not plagiarize 
Harman ; and probably, that he first published his Fraternitye in 
1561. The tract is a mere sketch, as compared with Harman's 
Caueat, though in its descriptions (p. 6 — 11) of 'A Curtesy Man,' 



IV HARMAN's OAITBAT : THE EARLY EDITIONS. 

' A Cheatour or Fingerer,' and ' A Eing-Faller ' (one of whom tried 
his tricks on me in Gower-street about ten days ago), it gives as full 
a picture as Harman does of the general run of his characters. The 
edition of 1575 being the only one accessible to us, our trusty Oxford 
copier, Mr George Parker, has read the proofs with the copy in the 
Bodleian. 

Let no one bring a charge of plagiarizing Awdeley, against Har- 
man, for the latter, as has been shown, referred fairly to Awdeley's 
' small breefe ' or ' old briefe of vacabonds] and wrote his own " bolde 
Beggars booke" (p. 91) from his own long experience with them. 

Harman's Caueat is too well-known and widely valued a book 
to need description or eulogy here. It is the standard work on its 
subject, — 'these rowsey, ragged, rabblement of rakehelles' (p. 19) — 
and has been largely plundered by divers literary cadgers. No copy 
of the first edition seems to be known to bibliographers. It was 
published in 1566 or 1567, — probably the latter year, 1 — and must (I 
conclude) have contained less than the second, as in that's ' Harman 
to the Header,' p. 28, below, he says ' well good reader, I meane not 
to be tedyous vnto the, but haue added fyue or sixe more tales, 
because some of them weare doune whyle my booke was fyrste in 
the presse.' He speaks again of his first edition at p. 44, below, ' I 
had the best geldinge stolen oute of my pasture, that I had amongst 
others, whyle this boke was first a printynge ;' and also at p. 51, 
below, ' Apon Alhollenday in the morning last anno domini 1566, or 
my booke was halfe printed, I meane the first impression.'' All 
Hallows' or All Saints' Day is November 1. 

The edition called the second 2 , also bearing date in 1567, is known 
to us in two states, the latter of which I have called the third edition. 
The first state of the second edition is shown by the Bodleian copy, 
which is ' Augmented and inlarged by the fyrst author here of,' and 
has, besides smaller differences specified in the footnotes in our 
pages, this great difference, that the arrangement of ' The Names of 

1 Compare the anecdote, p. 66, 68, 'the last sommer, Anno Domini, 1566.' 

2 ' now at this seconde Impression,' p. 27 ; ' Whyle this second Impression 
was in printinge,' p. 87, 



HARMAN'S OAUBAT: THE TWO STATES OF THE 2ND EDITION. V 

the Vpright Men, Roges, and Pallyards ' is not alphabetical, by the 
first letter of the Christian names, as in the second state of the second 
edition (which I call the third edition), but higgledy-piggledy, or, at 
least, without attention to the succession of initials either of Christian 
or Sur-names, thus, though in three columns : 

^f Vpright men. 

Richard Brymmysh. Robert Gerse. 

John My liar. Gryffen. 

Wei arayd Richard. Richard Barton. 

John Walchman. John Braye. 

Wylliam Chamborne. Thomas Cutter. 

Bryan Medcalfe. Dowzabell sky] full in fence. 

[&c] 

^f ROGES. 

Harry Walles with the little mouth. Lytle Robyn. 

John Waren. Lytle Dycke. 

Richard Brewton. Richard Iones. 

Thomas Paske. Lambart Rose. 

George Belbarby. Harry Mason. 

Humfrey Warde. Thomas Smitlie with the skal skyn. 

[&c] 

^] Pallyards. 

Nycliolas Newton carieth a fayned Edward Heyward, hath his Morto 
lycence. following hym Whiche fayneth 

Bashforde. y e crank. 

Robart Lackley. Preston. 

Wylliam Thomas. Robart Canloke. 

[&c] 

This alone settles the priority of the Bodley edition, as no printer, 
having an index alphabetical, would go and muddle it all again, even 
for a lark. Moreover, the other collations confirm this priority. The 
colophon of the Bodley edition is dated a. d. 1567, 'the eight of 
January;' and therefore A. d. 1567-8. 

The second state of the second edition — which state I call the 
third edition — is shown by the copy which Mr Henry Huth has, 
with his never-failing generosity, lent us to copy and print from. It 
omits 'the eight of January,' from the colophon, and has 'Anno 
Domini 1567 ' only. Like the 2nd edition (or 2 A), this 3rd edition 
(or 2 B) has the statement on p. 87, below : ' Whyle this second Im- 



VI HARMAN'S CAVEAT: THE TWO STATES OP THE 2ND EDITION. 

pression was in printinge, it fortuned that Nycholas Blunte, who 
called hym selfe ISTycholan Gennyns, a counterefet Cranke, that is 
spoken of in this booke, was fonde begging in the whyte fryers on 
Newe yeares day last past. Anno domini .1567, and commytted vnto 
a offescer, who caried hym vnto the depetye of the ward, which com- 
mytted hym vnto the counter ;' and this brings both the 2nd and 3rd 
editions (or 2 A and 2 B) to the year 1568, modern style. The 4th 
edition, so far as I know, was published in 1573, and was reprinted 
by Machell Stace (says Bonn's Lowndes) in 1814. From that reprint 
Mr W. M. "Wood has made a collation of words, not letters, for us 
with the 3rd edition. The chief difference of the 4th edition is its ex- 
tension of the story of the ' dyssembling Cranke,' JSTycholas Genings, 
and 'the Printar of this booke' Wylliam Gryffith (p. 53-6, below), 
which extension is given in the footnotes to pages 56 and 57 of our 
edition. We were obliged to reprint this from Stace' s reprint of 1814, 
as our searchers could not find a copy of the 4th edition of 1573 in 
either the British Museum, the Bodleian, or the Cambridge 
University Library. 

Thus much about our present edition. I now hark back to the 
first, and the piracies of it or the later editions, mentioned in Mr J. 
P. Collier's Registers of the Stationers' Company, i. 155-6, 166. 

" 1566-7 Bd. of "William Greffeth, for his lycense for printinge of 
a boke intituled a Caviat for commen Corsetors, vulgarly called 
Vagabons, by Thomas Harman iiij 1 ". 

" [No edition of Harman's ' Caveat or Warning for common Cursetors,' 
of the date of 1566, is known, although it is erroneously mentioned in 
the introductory matter to the reprint in 1814, from H. Middleton's im- 
pression of 1573. It was the forerunner of various later works of the 
same kind, some of which were plundered from it without acknowledg- 
ment, and attributed to the celebrated Robert Greene. Copies of two 
editions in 1567, by Griffith, are extant, and, in all probability, it was 
the first time it appeared in print : Griffith entered it at Stationers' Hall, 
as above, in 1566, in order that he might publish it in 1567. Harman's 
work was preceded by several ballads relating to vagabonds, the earliest 
of which is entered on p. 42 [Awdeley, p. ii. above]. On a subsequent 
page (166) is inserted a curious entry regarding ' the boke of Rogges,' 
or Rogues.] 

" 1560-7. Per Takynge of Pynes as foloweth. Ed. of Henry 



PIRATERS OF HARMAN S CAVEAT. vii 

Bynnyman, for his fyne for undermy[n]dinge and procurynge, as moche 
as in hym ded lye, a Copye from wylliam greffeth, called the boke 
of Rogges iij\ 

" [This was certainly Harnian's ' Caveat or Warning for Common 
Ciirsetors '; and here we see Bynneman fined for endeavouring to under- 
mine Griffith by procuring the copy of the work, in order that Bynne- 
man might print and puhlish it instead of Griffith, his rival in business. 
The next item may show that Gerard Dewes had also printed the book, 
no doubt without license, but the memorandum was crossed out in the 
register.] 

"Also, there doth reniayne in the handes of Mr Tottle and Mr 
Gonneld, then wardens, the somme of iij u . vij s . viij d ., wherto was Re- 
cevyd of garrad dewes for pryntinge of the boke of Rogges in a° 
1567 ij n . vj\ viij d . 

"[All tends to prove the desire of stationers to obtain some share of 
the profits of a work, which, as we have already shown, was so well re- 
ceived, that Griffith published two editions of it in 1567.] " 

The fact is, the book was so interesting that it made its readers 
thieves, as 'Jack Sheppard ' has done in later days. The very wood- 
cutter cheated Harman of the hind legs of the horse on his title, 
prigged two of his prauncer's props (p. 42). 

To know the keen inquiring Social Reformer, Thomas Harman, the 
reader must go to his book. He lived in the country (p. 34, foot), 
in [Crayford] Kent (p. 30, p. 35), near a heath (p. 35), near Lady 
Elizabeth Shrewsbury's parish (p. 19), not far from London (p. 30, 
p. 35) ; ' he lodged at the "White Friars within the cloister' (p. 51), 
seemingly while he was having his book printed (p. 53), and had his 
servant there with him (ib.) ; ' he knew London well' (p. 54, &c.) ; 
and in Kent 'beinge placed as a poore gentleman,' he had in 1567, 
• kepte a house these twenty yeares, where vnto pouerty dayely 
hath and doth repayre,' and where, being kept at home ' through 
sickenes, he talked dayly with many of these wyly wanderars, as well 
men and wemmen, as boyes and gyrles,' whose tricks he has so 
pleasantly set down for us. He did not, though, confine his inter- 
course with vagabonds to talking, for he says of some, p. 48, 

\ Some tyme they counterfet the scale of the Admiraltie. I haue 
diuers tymes taken a waye from them their lycences, of both sortes, 



V1U STATUS AND CHARACTER OP THOMAS HARMAK. 

wyth suche money as they haue gathered, and haue confiscated the 
same to the pouerty nigh adioyninge to me. p. 51-6. 

Our author also practically exposed these tricks, as witness his 
hunting out the Cranke, Nycholas Genings, and his securing the 
vagabond's 13s. and id. for the poor of Eewington parish, p. 51-6 , 
his making the deaf and dumb beggar hear and speak, p. 58-9 (and 
securing his money too for the poor). But he fed deserving beg- 
gars, see p. 66, p. 20. 

Though Harman tells us ' Eloquence haue I none, I neuer was 
acquaynted with the Muses, I neuer tasted of Helycon' (p. 27-8), 
yet he could write verses — though awfully bad ones : see them at 
pages 50 and 89-91, below, perhaps too at p. 26 l ; — he knew Latin — 
see his comment on Cursetors and Vagabone, p. 27 ; his una voce, p. 
43 ; perhaps his ' Argus eyes,' p. 54 ; his omnia venalia Rome, p. 
60 ; his homo, p. 73 ; he quotes St Augustine (and the Bible), p. 24 ; 
&c. ; — he studied the old Statutes of the Bealm (p. 27) ; he liked pro- 
verbs (see the Index) ; he was once ' in commission of the peace,' as 
he says, and judged malefactors, p. 60, though he evidently was not a 
Justice when he wrote his book; he was a 'gentleman,' says Har- 
rison (see p. xii. below) ; ' a Iustice of Peace in Kent, 2 in Queene 
Marie's daies,' says Samuel Bowlands ; 3 he bore arms (of heraldry), 
and had them duly stamped on his pewter dishes (p. 35) ; he had 
at least one old 'tennant who customably a greate tyme went 
twise in the weeke to London, (over Blacke Heathe) eyther wyth 
fruite or with pescoddes ' (p. 30) ; he hospitably asked his visitors to 
dinner (p. 45) ; he had horses in his pasture, 4 the best gelding of 
which the Pryggers of Prauncers prigged (p. 44) ; he had an un- 
chaste cow that went to bull every month (p. 67, if his ownership is 
not chaff here) ; he had in his ' well-house on the backe side of 

1 Mr J. P. Collier {Bibliographical Catalogue, i. 365) has little doubt that 
the verses at the back of the title-page of Harman's Caveat were part of 
" a ballad intituled a description of the nature of a birchen broom " entered at 
Stationers' Hall to William Griffith, the first printer of the Caveat. 

2 Cp. Kente, p. 37, 43, 48, 61, 63, 66, 68, 77, &c. Moreover, the way in 
which he, like a Norfolk or Suffolk man, speaks of shires, points to a liver in 
a non -shire. 

s In Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Bridewell, 1610, quoted below, at p. xvii. 
4 Compare his ' ride to Dartforde to speake with a priest there,' p. 57. 



STATUS AND CHARACTER OF THOMAS HARMAN. IX 

his house, a great cawdrou of copper' which the "beggars stole (p. 
34-5) ; lie couldn't keep his linen on his hedges or in his rooms, 
or his pigs and poultry from the thieves (p. 21); he hated the 
'rascal rahhlement' of them (p. 21), and 'the wicked parsons 
that keepe typlinge Houses in all shires, where they haue succour 
and reliefe ' ; and, like a wise and practical man, he set himself to 
find out and expose all their 'vndecent, dolefull [guileful] dealing, 
and execrahle exercyses' (p. 21) to the end that they might he 
stopt, and sin and wickedness might not so much abound, and 
thus ' this Famous Empyre he in more welth, and hotter florysh, to 
the inestymahle joye and comfort ' of his great Queen, Elizaheth, and 
the ' vnspeakahle . . reliefe and quietnes of minde, of all her fayth- 
full Commons and Suhiectes.' The right end, and the right way to 
it. We've some like you still, Thomas Harmari, in our Victorian 
time. May their numher grow ! 

Thus much ahout Harman we learn from his hook and his 
literary contemporaries and successors. If we now turn to the his- 
torian of his county, Hasted, we find further interesting details 
about our author : 1 , that he lived in Crayford parish, next to 
Erith, the Countess of Shrewshury's parish ; 2, that he inherited 
the estates of Ellam, and Maystreet, and the manor of Mayton or 
Maxton ; 3, that he was the grandson of Henry Harman, Clerk of 
the Crown, who had for his arms ' Argent, a chevron hetween 3 
scalps sahle,' which were no douht those stampt on our Thomas's 
pewter dishes ; 4, that he had a ' descendant,' — a son, I presume — 
who inherited his lands, and three daughters, one of whom, Bridget, 
married Henry Binneman — ?not the printer, ahout 1565-85 a.d., p. 
vi-vii, ahove. 

Hasted in his description of the parish of Crayford, speaking of 
Ellam, a place in the parish, says : — 

"In the 16th year of K. Henry VII. John Ellam alienated it (the 
seat of Ellam) to Henry Harman, who was then Clerk of the Crown, 1 and 

1 " John Harman, Esquyer, one of the gentilmen hushers of the Chamhre 
of our soverayn Lady the Quene, and the excellent Lady Dame Dorothy e 
Gwydott, widow, late of the town of Southampton, married Dec. 21, 1557." 
(Extract from the register of the parish of Stratford Bow, given in p. 499, 
vol. iii. of Lysons's Environs of London. 



X THOMAS HARMAN S FAMILY AND ESTATES. 

who likewise purchased an estate called Maystreet here, of Cowley and 
Bulbeck, of Bulbeck- street in this parish, in the 20th year of King 
Edward IV. 1 On his decease, William Harman, his son, possessed both 
these estates. 2 On his decease they descended to Thomas Harman, esq., 
his son ; who, among others, procured his lands to be disgavelled, by the 
act of the 2 & 3 Edw. VI. 3 He married Millicent, one of the daughters 
of Nicholas Leigh, of Addington, in the county of Surry, esq. 4 His de- 
scendant, William Harman, sold both these places in the reign of K. 
James I. to Kobert Draper, esqr." — History of Kent, vol. i. p. 209. 

The manor of Maxton, in the parish of Hougham " passed to Hob- 
day, and thence to Harman, of Crayford ; from which name it was sold 

by Thomas Harman to Sir James Hales William Harman held 

the manor of Mayton, alias Maxton, with its appurtenances, of the Lord 
Cheney, as of his manor of Chilham, by Knight's service. Thomas Har- 
man was his son and heir : Kot. Esch. 2 Edw. VI." — Hasted's History of 
Kent, vi. p. 47. 

" It is laid down as a rule, that nothing but an act of parliament 
can change the nature of gavelkind lands ; and this has occasioned 
several [acts], for the purpose of disgavelling the possessions of divers 

gentlemen in this county One out of several statutes made for 

this purpose is the 3rd of Edw. VI." — Hasted's History of Kent, vol. i. p. 
cxliii. 

And in the list of names given, — taken from Kobinson's Gavelkind 
— twelfth from the bottom stands that of Thomas Harman. 

Of Thomas Harman's aunt, Mary, Mrs William Lovelace, we find : 
"John Lovelace, esq., and William Lovelace, his brother, possessed this 
manor and seat (Bayford-Castle) between them ; the latter of whom 
resided at Bayford, where he died in the 2nd year of K. Edward VI., 
leaving issue by Mary his wife, daughter of William Harman, of 
Crayford, seven sons. . . . " — Hasted's History of Kent, vol. ii. p. 612. 

The rectory of the parish of Deal was bestowed by the Arch- 
bishop on Eoger Harman in 1544 (Hasted, vol. iv. p. 171). 

Harman-street is the name of a farm in the parish of Ash (Hasted, 
vol. iii. p. 691). 

1 Philipott, p. 108. Henry Harman bore for his arms — Argent, a chevron 
between 3 scalps sable. 

2 Of whose daughters, Mary married John, eldest son of Wm, Lovelace, of 
Hever in Kingsdown, in this county ; and Elizabeth married John Lennard, 
Prothonotar3 r , and afterwards Custos Brevium of the Common Pleas. Sep 
Chevening. 

3 See Robinson's Gavelkind, p. 300. 

* She was of consanguinity to Abp. Chicheley. Stemm. Chich. No. 106. 
Thomas Harman had three daughters : Anne, who married Wm. Draper, of 
Erith, and lies buried there ; Mary, who married Thomas Harrys ; and 
Bridget, who was the wife of Henry Binneman. Ibid. 



HARRISON ON ENGLISH VAGABONDS IN 1577-86 A.D. Xl 

The excellent parson, William Harrison, in his 'Description of 
England,' prefixed to Holinshed's Chronicles (edit. 1586), quotes 
Ilarman fairly enough in his chapter "Of prouision made for the 
poore," Book II, chap. 10. 1 And as he gives a statement of the 
sharp punishment enacted for idle rogues and vagabonds by the 
Statutes of Elizabeth, I take a long extract from his said chapter. 
After speaking of those who are made ' beggers through other mens 
occasion,' and denouncing the grasping landlords ' who make them 
so, and wipe manie out of their occupiengs,' Harrison goes on to 
those who are beggars ' through their owne default' (p. 183, last line 
of col. 1, ed. 1586): 

" Such as are idle beggers through their owne default are of two 
sorts, and continue their estates either by casuall or meere voluntarie 
meanes : those that are such by casuall means 2 are in the beginning 2 
iustlie to be referred either to the first or second sort of poore 2 afore 
mentioned 2 ; but, degenerating into the thriftlesse sort, they doo what 
they can to continue their miserie ; and, with such impediments as they 
haue, to straie and wander about, as creatures abhorring all labour and 
euerie honest excercise. Certes, I call these casuall meanes, not in re- 
spect of the originall of their pouertie, but of the continuance of the 
same, from whence they will not be deliuered, such 3 is their owne 
vngratious lewdnesse and froward disposition. The voluntarie meanes 
proceed from outward causes, as by making of corosiues, and applieng 
the same to the more fieshie parts of their bodies ; and also laieng of 
ratsbane, sperewort, crowfoot, and such like vnto their whole members, 
thereby to raise pitifull 4 and odious sores, and rnooue 2 the harts of 2 the 
goers by such places where they lie, to 5 yerne at 5 their miserie, and 
therevpon 2 bestow large almesse vpon them. 6 How artificiallie they 
beg, what forcible speech, and how they select and choose out words of 
vehemencie, whereby they doo in maner coniure or adiure the goer by 
to pitie their cases, I passe ouer to remember, as iudging the name of 
God and Christ to be more conuersant in the mouths of none, and yet 
the presence of the heuenlie maiestie further off from no men than from 
this vngratious companie. Which maketh me to thinke, that punish- 
ment is farre meeter for them than liberalise or almesse, and sith Christ 
willeth vs cheeflie to haue a regard to himselfe and his poore members. 

" Vnto this nest is another sort to be referred, more sturdie than the 
rest, which, hauing sound and perfect lims, doo yet, notwithstanding 

1 In the first edition of Holinshed (1577) this chapter is the 6th in Book 
III. of Harrison's Description. 

2-2 Not in ed. 1577. a thorow in ed. 1577. 

4 piteous in ed. 1577. 5_5 lament in ed. 1577. 

* The remainder of this paragraph is not in ed. 1577. 



xii HARRISON ON ENGLISH VAGABONDS IN 1577-86 A.D. 

sometime counterfeit the possession of all sorts of diseases. Diuerse 
times in their apparell also x they will be like seruing men or laborers : 
oftentimes they can plaie the mariners, and seeke for ships which they 
neuer lost. 2 But, in fine, they are all theeues and caterpillers in the 
commonwealth, and, by the word of God not permitted to eat, sith they 
doo but licke the sweat from the true laborers' browes, and beereue the 
godlie poore of that which is due vnto them, to mainteine their excesse, 
consuming the charitie of well-disposed people bestowed vpon them, 
after a most wicked 3 and detestable maner. 

" It is not yet full threescore 4 yeares since this trade began : but 
how it hath prospered since that time, it is easie to iudge ; for they are 
now supposed, of one sex and another, to amount vnto aboue 10,000 
persons, as I haue heard reported. Moreouer, in counterfeiting the 
Egyptian roges, they haue deuised a language among themselues, which 
they name Canting (but other pedlers French) — a speach compact thirtie 
yeares since of English, and a great number of od words of their owne 
deuising, without all order or reason : and yet such is it as none but 
themselues are able to vnderstand. The first deuiser thereof was 
hanged by the necke, — a iust reward, no doubt, for his deserts, and a 
Thomas common end to all of that profession. A gentleman, also, of 
Harman. l a te hath taken great paines to search out the secret practises 
of this vngratious rabble. And among other things he setteth downe 
and describeth 5 three and twentie 5 sorts of them, whose names it shall 
not be amisse to remember, wherby ech one may 6 take occasion to read 
and know as also by his industrie 6 what wicked people they are, and 
what villanie remaineth in them. 

" The seuerall disorders and degrees amongst our idle vagabonds : — 

1. Rufners. 8. Fraters. 

2. Vprightmen. 9. Abrams. 

3. Hookers or Anglers. 10. Freshwater mariners, or Whip- 

4. Roges. 11. Dummerers. [iacks. 

5. Wild Roges. 12. Drunken tinkers. 

6. Priggers of Prancers. 13. Swadders, or Pedlers. 

7. Palliards. 14. Iarkemen, or Patricoes. 

Of Women kinde — 

1. Demanders for gliinmar, or fire. 6. Doxes. 

2. Baudie Baskets. 7. Delles. 

3. Mortes. 8. Kindling Mortes. 

4. Autem mortes. 9. Kinching cooes. 7 

5. Walking mortes. 

'Not in ed. 1577. 2 Compare Harman, p. 48. 

3 The 1577 ed. inserts horrible. 

4 The 1577 ed. reads fifty. 

5-5 The 1577 ed. reads 22, which is evidently an error. 

6-6 For these words the 1577 ed. reads gather. 

' The above liBt is taken from the titles of the chapters in Harman 's Ca ueat. 



HARRISON ON ENGLISH VAGABONDS IN 1577-86 A.D. xiii 

" The punishment that is ordeined for this kind of people is verie 
sharpe, and yet it can not restreine them from their gadding : wherefore 
the end must needs be martiall law, to be exercised vpon them as vpon 
theeues, robbers, despisers of all lawes, and enimies to the common- 
wealth and welfare of the land. What notable roberies, pilferies, 
murders, rapes, and stealings of yoong 1 children, 2 burning, breaking and 
disfiguring their lims to make them pitifull in the sight of the people, 2 
I need not to rehearse ; but for their idle roging about the countrie, the 
law ordeineth this maner of correction. The roge being apprehended, 
committed to prison, and tried in the next assises (whether they be of 
gaole deliuerie or sessions of the peace) if he happen to be conuicted for 
a vagabond either by inquest of office, or the testimonie of two honest 
and credible witnesses vpon their oths, he is then immediatlie adiudged 
to be greeuouslie whipped and burned through the gristle of the right 
eare, with an hot iron of the compasse of an inch about, as a manifesta- 
tion of his wicked life, and due punishment receiued for the same. And 
this iudgement is to be executed vpon him, except some honest person 
woorth fiue pounds in the queene's books in goods, or twentie shillings 
in lands, or some rich housholder to be allowed by the iustices, will be 
bound in recognisance to reteine him in his seruice for one whole yeare. 
If he be taken the second time, and proued to haue forsaken his said 
seruice, he shall then be whipped againe, bored likewise through the 
other eare and set to seruice : from whence if he depart before a yeare 
be expired, and happen afterward- to be attached againe, he is con- 
demned to suffer paines of death as a fellon (except before excepted) 
without benefit of clergie or sanctuarie, as by the statute dooth appeare. 
Among roges and idle persons finallie, we find to be comprised all 
proctors that go vp and downe with counterfeit licences, coosiners, and 
such as gad about the countrie, vsing vnlawfull games, practisers of 
physiognomie, and palmestrie, tellers of fortunes, fensers, plaiefs, 3 
minstrels, iugglers, pedlers, tinkers, pretensed 4 schollers, shipmen, 
prisoners gathering for fees, and others, so oft as they be taken without 
sufficient licence. From 5 among which companie our bearewards are 
not excepted, and iust cause : for I haue read that they haue either 
voluntarilie, or for want of power to master their sauage beasts, beene 
occasion of the death and deuoration of manie children in sundrie coun- 
tries by which they haue passed, whose parents neuer knew what was 
become of them. And for that cause there is and haue beene manie 
sharpe lawes made for bearwards in Germanie, wherof you may read 
in other. But to our roges. 6 Each one also that harboreth or aideth 
them with meat or monie, is taxed and compelled to fine with the 
queene's maiestie for euerie time that he dooth so succour them, as it 

' Not in the 1577 ed. 

2-2 These words are substituted for which they disfigure to legg withal in 
the 1577 ed. 

3 The' 1577 ed. inserts bearwards. 4 Not in 1577 ed. 

4-5 These three sentences are not in 1577 ed. 



XIV THE QROTJNDWORKE OF CONNY-CATCHINQ, 1592. 

shall please the iustices of peace to assigne, so that the taxation exceed 
not twentie shillings, as I haue beene informed. And thus much of the 
poore, and such prouision as is appointed for them within the realme of 
England." 

Among the users of Harman's book, the chief and coolest was the 
author of The groundivorke of Conny-eatching, 1592, who wrote a 
few introductory pages, and then quietly reprinted almost all Har- 
man's book with an ' I leaue you now vnto those which by Maister 
Harman are discouered' (p. 103, below). By this time Harmanwas 
no doubt dead. — Who will search for his Will in the Wills Office ? 
—-Though Samuel Rowlands was alive, he did not show up this early 
appropriator of Harman's work as he did a later one. As a kind of 
Supplement to the Caueat, I have added, as the 4th tract in the 
present volume, such parts of the GroundworJce of Conny-catching as 
are not reprinted from Harman. The GroundworJce has been attri- 
buted to Eobert Greene, but on no evidence (I believe) except 
Greene's having written a book in three Parts on Conny-catching, 
1591-2, and 'A Disputation betweene a Hee Conny-catcher and a 
Shee Conny-catcher, whether a Theafe or a Whore is most hvrtfull 
in Cousonage to the Common- wealth,' 1592. 1 Hearne's copy of the 
GroundioorJce is bound up in the 2nd vol. of Greene's Works, among 
George III.'s books in the British Museum, as if it really was 
Greene's. 

Another pilferer from Harman was Thomas Dekker, in his Bel- 
man of London, 160S, of which three editions were published in the 
same year (Hazlitt). But Samuel Rowlands found him out and 
showed him up. From the fifth edition of the Belman, the earliest 
that our copier, Mr W. M. Wood, could find in the British Museum, 
he has drawn up the following account of the book : 

The Belman of London. Bringing to Light the most notorious Villanies 
that are now practised in the Kingdome. Profitable for Gentlemen, 
Lawyers, Merchants, Citizens, Farmers, Masters of Housholds, and all 
sorts of Servants to mark, and delightfull for all Men to Reade, 
Lege, Perlege, Eelege. 

The fift Impression, with new additions. Printed at London by Miles 
Flesher. 1640 

1 Hazlitt's Hand Book) p. 241. 



THOMAS DEKKERS BELMAN OF LONDON, 1608. XV 

On the back of the title-page, after the table of contents, the 
eleven following ' secret villanies ' are described, severally, as 

"Cheating Law Bernard's Lawe. 

Vincent's Law. The black Art. 

Curbing Law. Prigging Law. 

Lifting Law. High Law. 

Sacking Law. Frigging Law. 

Five Iumpes at Leape-frog." 

After a short description of the four ages of the world, there is an 
account of a feast, at which were present all kinds of vagabonds. 
Dekker was conveyed, by ' an old nimble-tong'd beldam, who seemed 
to haue the command of the place,' to an upper loft, ' where, vnseene, 
I might, through a wooden Latice that had prospect of the dining 
roome, both see and heare all that was to be done or spoken.' 

'The whole assembly being thus gathered together, one, amongest 
the rest, who tooke vpon him a Seniority ouer the rest, charged euery 
man to answer to his name, to see if the Iury were full : — the Bill by 
which hee meant to call them beeing a double lug of ale (that had the 
spirit of Aquavitce in it, it smelt so strong), and that hee held in his hand. 
Another, standing by, with a toast, nutmeg, and ginger, ready to cry Vous 
avez as they were cald, and all that were in the roome hauing single pots 
by the eares, which, like Pistols, were charged to goe off so soone as euer 
they heard their names. This Ceremony beeing set abroach, an Oyes was 
made. But he that was Rector Chory (the Captain of the Tatterdemalions) 
spying one to march vnder his Colours, that had neuer before serued in 
those lowsie warres, paused awhile (after hee had taken his first draught, 
to tast the dexterity of the liquor), and then began, Iustice-like, to 
examine this yonger brother vpon interrogatories.' 

This yonger brother is afterwards ' stalled to the rogue ; ' and the 
'Rector Chory 1 ' instructs him in his duties, and tells him the names 
and degrees of the fraternity of vagabonds. Then comes the feast, 
after which, ' one who tooke vpon him to be speaker to the whole 
house,' began, as was the custom of their meeting, ' to make an 
oration in praise of Beggery, and of those that professe the trade,' 
which done, all the company departed, leaving the ' old beldam ' and 
Dekker the only occupants of the room. 

' The spirit of her owne mault walkt in her brain-pan, so that, what 
with the sweetnes of gaines which shee had gotten by her Marchant 

1 Leader of the Choir, Captain of the Company. 



XVI SAMUEL ROWLANDS S MARTIN MARK-ALL. 

Venturers, and what with the fumes of drinke, which set her tongue in 
going, I found her apt for talke ; and, taking hold of this opportunity, 
after some intreaty to discouer to mee what these vpright men, rufflers 
and the rest were, with their seuerall qualities and manners of life, 
Thus shee began.' 

And what she tells Dekker is taken, all of it, from Harman's 
book. 

Afterwards come accounts of the five ' Laws ' and five jumps at 
leap-frog mentioned on the back of the title-page, and which is 
quoted above, p. xv. 

Lastly ' A short Discourse of Canting,' which is, entirely, taken 
from Harman, pages 84 — 87, below. 

As I have said before, Dekker was shown up for his pilferings 
from Harman by Samuel Eowlands, who must, says Mr Collier in his 
Bibliographical Catalogue, have published his Martin Mark-all, 
Beadle of Bridewell, in or before 1609, — though no edition is known 
to us before 1610, — because Dekker in an address 'To my owne 
Nation ' in his Lantliome and Candle-light, which was published in 
1609, refers to Eowlands as a 'Beadle of Bridewell.' 'You shall 
know him,' (says Dekker, speaking of a rival author, [that is, Samuel 
Eowlands] whom he calls ' a Usurper ') ' by his Habiliments, for (by 
the furniture he weares) hee will bee taken for a Beadle of Bride- 
well' That this ' Usurper ' was Eowlands, we know by the latter's 
saying in Martin Mark-all, leaf E, i back, 'although he (the Bel-man, 
that is, Dekker) is bold to call me an vsurper ; for so he doth in his 
last round.' 

Well, from this treatise of Eowlands', Mr Wood has made the 
following extracts relating to Dekker and Harman, together with 
Eowlands's own list of slang words not in Dekker or Harman, and 
'the errour in his [Dekker's] words, and true englishing of the 
same : ' 

Martin Mark-all, Beadle of Brideviell ; his defence and Answere to the 
Belman of London, Discouering the long-concealed Originall and Regiment 
of Rogues, when they first began to take head, and how they haue suc- 
ceeded one the other successiuely vnto the sixe and twentieth yeare of King 
Henry the eight, gathered out of the Chronicle of Crackeropes, and (as 
they terme it) the Legend of Lossels. By S[amueV\ R\owlands\. 



SAMUEL ROWLANDS S MARTIN MARK-ALL. XVU 

Orderunt peccare boni virtutis amore, 
Orderunt peccare mali formidine poena?. 

London 
Printed for Iohn Budge and Richard Bonian. 1610. 

1 Martin Mark-all, his Apologie to the Bel-man of London. There 
hath been of late dayea great paines taken on the part of the good old 
Bel-man of London, in discouering, as liee thinks, a new-found Nation 
and People. Let it he so for this time : hereupon much adoe was made 
in setting forth their linos, order of lining, method of speech, and vsuall 
meetings, with diuers other things thereunto appertaining. These 
volumes and papers, now spread euerie where, so that euerie Iacke-boy 
now can say as well as the proudest of that fraternitie, "will you wapp for 
a wyn, or tranie for a make ? " The gentle Company of Cursitours began 
now to stirre, and looke about them ; and hauing gathered together a 
Conuocation of Canting Caterpillars, as wel in the North parts at the 
Diuels arse apeake, 1 as in the South, they diligently enquired, and 
straight search was made, whether any had reuolted from that faithles 
fellowship. Herupon cuery one gaue his verdict : some supposed that 
it might be some one that, hauing ventured to farre beyond wit and 
good taking heede, was fallen into the hands of the Magistrate, and 
carried to the trayning Cheates, where, in shew of a penitent heart, and 
remoarse of his good time ill spent, turned the cocke, and let out all : 
others thought it might be some spie-knaue that, hauing little to doe, 
tooke vpon him the habite and forme of an Hermite ; and so, rjy dayly 
commercing and discoursing, learned in time the mysterie and knowlege 
of this ignoble profession : and others, because it smelt of a study, 
deemed it to be some of their owne com panic, that had been at some 
free-schoole, and belike, because bee would be handsome against a good 
time, tooke pen and inke, and wrote of that subiect ; thus, Tot homines, 
tot sentential, so many men, so many mindes. And all because the spight- 
full Poet would not set too his name. At last vp starts an old Caco- 
demicall Academicke with his frize bonnet, and giues them al to know, 
that this invectiue was set foorth, made, and printed Fortie yeeres agoe. 
And being then called, ' A caueat for Cursitors,' is now newly printed, 
and termed, 'The Bel-man of London,' made at first by one Master Har- 
man, a lustice of Peace in Kent, in Queene Marie's daies, — he being then 
about ten yeeres of age.' Sign. A. 2. 

' They (the vagabonds) haue a language among themselues, com- 
posed of omnium gatherum; a glimering whereof, one of late daies hath 
endeuoured to manifest, as farre as his Authour is pleased to be an in- 

* Where at this day the Eogues of the North part, once euerie three yeeres, 
assemble in the night, because they will not be seene and espied ; being a 
place, to those that know it, verie fit for that purpos, — it being hollow, and 
made spacious vnder ground ; at first, by estimation, halfe a mile in compasse ; 
but it hath such turnings and roundings in it, that a man may easily be lost if 
hee enter not with a guide. 



XV111 SAMUEL ROWLANDS S MARTIN MARK-ALL. 

telligencer. The substance whereof he leaueth for those that will dilate 
thereof ; enough for him to haue the praise, other the paines, notwith- 
standing Harmarfs ghost continually clogging his conscience with Sic 
Vos non Vobis.' — Sign. 0. 3 back. 1 

' Because the Bel-man entreateth any that is more rich in canting, 
to lend him better or more with variety, he will repay his loue double, 
I haue thought good, not only to shew his errour in some places in set- 
ting downe olde wordes vsed fortie yeeres agoe, before he was borne, for 
wordes that are vsed in these dayes (although he is bold to call me an 
vsurper (for so he doth in his last round), and not able to maintayne the 
title, but haue enlarged his Dictionary (or Master Ham-nail's) with such 
wordes as I thinke hee neuer heard of (and yet in vse too) ; but not out 
of vaine glorie, as his ambition is, but, indeede, as an experienced souldier 
that hath deerely paid for it : and therefore it shall be honour good 
enough for him (if not too good) to come vp with the Reare (I doe but 
shoote your owne arrow back againe), and not to haue the leading of 
the Van as he meanes to doe, although small credite in the end will re- 
dound to eyther. You shall know the wordes not set in eyther his 
Dictionaries by this marke § : and for shewing the errour in his words, 
and true englishing of the same and other, this marke IT shall seme 
§ Abram, madde 

§ He maunds Abram, he begs as a madde man 
^T Bung, is now vsed for a pocket, heretofore for a purse 
§ Budge a beake, runne away 
§ A Bite, secreta mulierum 
§ Crackmans, the hedge 
§ To Castell, to see or looke 
§ A Roome Cuttle, a sword 
§ A Cuttle bung, a knife to cut a purse 
§ Chepemans, Cheape-side market 

^F Chates, the Gallowes : here he mistakes both the simple word, be- 
cause he so found it printed, not knowing the true originall thereof, 
and also in the compound ; as for Chates, it should be Cheates, 
which word is vsed generally for things, as Tip me that Cheate, 
Giue me that thing : so that if you will make a word for the 
Gallous, you must put thereto this word treyning, which signifies 

1 Of the above passages, Dekker speaks in the following manner : — "There 
is an Vsurper, that of late hath taken vpon him the name of the Belman ; but 
being not able to maintaine that title, hee doth now call himselfe the Bel-mans 
brother ; his ambition is (rather out of vaine-glory then the true courage of an 
experienced Souldier) to haue the leading of the Van ; but it shall be honor 
good enough for him (if not too good) to come vp with the Rere. You shall 
know him by his Habiliments, for (by the furniture he weares) he will be 
taken for a Beadle of Bridewell. It is thought he is rather a Newter then a 
friend to the cause : and therefore the Bel-man doth here openly protest that 
hee comes into the field as no fellow in armes with him." — O per se O (1612 
edit,), sign. A. 2. 



MARTIN MARK-ALL. LANTHORNR AND CANDLE LIOHT. XIX 

hanging ; and so treyning cheate is as much to say, hanging things, 
or the Gallous, aud not Ckates. 

§ A fflicke, a Theefe 

§ Famblers, a paire of Clones 

§ Greenemans, the fields 

§ Gilkes for the gigger, false keyes for the doore 01 picklockes 

§ Gracemans, Gratious streete market 

§ Iockam, a man's yard 

§ Ian, a purse 

§ Iere, a turd 

§ Lugges, cares 

§ Loges, a passe or warrant 

§ A Feager of Loges, one that beggeth with false passes or counterfeit 

writings 
§ Numans, Newgate Market 
^f Nigling, company keeping with a woman : this word is not vsed 

now, but wapping, and thereof comes the name wa%>ping marts, 

whoores. 
§ To plant, to hide 

^f Smellar, a garden ; not smelling cheate, for that 's a Nosegay 
§ Spreader, butter 
§ Whittington, Newgate. 

" And thus haue I runne ouer the Canter's Dictionary ; to speake 
more at large would aske more time then I haue allotted me ; yet in 
this short time thit I haue, I meane to sing song for song with the 
Belman, ere I wholly leaue him." [Here follow three Canting Songs.] 
Sign. E 1, back— E 4. 

" And thus hath the Belman, through his pitifull ambition, caused 
me to write that I would not : And whereas he disclaims the name of 
Brotherhood, I here vtterly renounce him & his fellowship, as not de- 
sirous to be rosolued of anything he professeth on this subiect, knowing 
my selfe to be as fully instructed herein as euer he was." — Sign. F. 

In the second Part of his Belman of London, namely, his 
Lanthorne and Candle-light, 1609, Dekker printed a Dictionary of 
Canting, which is only a reprint of Harman's (p. 82-4, below). A 
few extracts from this Lanthorne are subjoined : 

Canting. 

" This word canting seemes to bee deriued from the latine verbe 
canto, which signifies in English, to sing, or to make a sound with 
words, — that is to say, to speake. And very aptly may canting take his 
deriuatiow, a cantando, from singing, because, amongst these beggerly 
consorts that can play vpon no better instruments, the language of 
canting is a kind of musicke ; and he that in such assemblies can cant 



XX DEK.KER S LANTHORNE AND CANDLE-LIGHT. 

best, is counted the best Musitian." — Dekker's Lanthorne and Candle-light, 
B. 4. back. 

Specimen of " Canting rithmes." 

" Enough — with bowsy Coue maund Nace, 
Tour the Patring Coue in the Darkeman Case, 
Docked the Dell, for a Coper rneke 
His wach shall feng a Prounces Nab-chete, 
Cyarum, by Salmon, and thou shalt pek my Iere 
In thy Gan, for my watch it is nace gere, 
For the bene bowse my watch hath a win, &c." 

Dekker's Lanthorne, &c, C. 1. back. 

A specimen of "Canting prose," with translation, is given on 
the same page. 

Dekker's dictionary of Canting, given in Lanthorne and Candle- 
light, is the same as that of Harrnan. 

" A Canting Song. 

The Ruffin cly the nab of the Harman beck, 

If we mawn'd Pannam, lap or Ruff-peck, 

Or poplars of yarum : he cuts, bing to the Ruffmans, 

Or els he sweares by the light-mans, 

To put our stamps in the Harrnans, 

The ruffian cly the ghost of the Harman beck 

If we heaue a booth we cly the Ierke. 

If we niggle, or mill a bowsing Ken 

Or nip a boung that has but a win 

Or dup the giger of a Gentry cofe's ken, 

To the quier cuffing we bing, 

And then to the quier Ken, to scowre the Cramp ring, 

And then to the Trin'de on the chates, in the lightmans 

The Bube and Ruffian cly the Harman beck and harrnans. 

Thus Englished. 

The Diuell take the Constable's head, 

If we beg Bacon, Butter-milke, or bread, 

Or Pottage, to the hedge he bids vs hie 

Or sweares (by this light) i' th' stocks we shall lie. 

The Deuill haunt the Constable's ghoast 

If we rob but a Booth, we are whip'd at a poast. 

If an ale-house we rob, or be tane with a whore, 

Or cut a purse that has inst a penny, and no more, 

Or come but stealing in at a Gentleman's dore 

To the Iustice straight we goe, 

And then to the Iayle to be shakled : And so 



CATTERPILLERS ANATOMIZED. WARNING FOR HOUSEKEEPERS, XXI 

To be liang'd on the gallowes i' th' day time : the pox 
And the Deuill take the Constable and his stocks." 

Ibid. C. 3. back. 

Richard Head (says Mr Hotten), in his English Rogue, described 
in the Life of Meriton Latroon, a Witty Extravagant, 4 vols. 12mo., 
1671-80, gave " a glossary of Cant words ' used by the Gipsies ' ; but 
it was only a reprint of what Decker had given sixty years before," 
and therefore merely taken from Harman too. ' The Bibliography 
of Slang, Cant, and Vulgar Language ' has been given so fully at the 
end of Mr Hotten's Slang Dictionary, that I excuse myself from 
pursuing the subject farther. I only add here Mr Wood's extracts 
from four of the treatises on this subject not noticed by Mr Hotten 
in the 1864 edition of his Dictionary, but contained (with others) in 
a most curious volume in the British Museum, labelled Practice of 
Robbers, — Press Mark 518. h. 2., — as also some of the slang words in 
these little books not given by Harman l : 

1. The Catterpillcrs of this Nation anatomized, in a brief yet notable 
Discovery of House-breakers, Pick-pockets, dec. Together with the Life of 
a penitent High-way -man, discovering the Mystery of that Infernal Society. 
To which is added, the Manner of Hectoring and, trupanning, as it is acted 
in. and about the City of London. London, Printed for 31. H. at the Princes 
Armes, in Chancery-lane. 1659. 

Ken — miller, house-breaker 

lowre, or mint = wealth or money 

Gigers jacked = locked doors 

Tilers, or Cloycrs, equivalent to shoplifters 

Joseph, a cloak 

Bung-nibber, or Cutpurse = a pickpocket. 



2. A Warning for Housekeepers ; or, A discovery of alt sorts of thieves 
and Robbers which go under ihece titles, viz. — The Giltcr, the Mill, the 
Glasier, Budg and Snudg, File-lifter, Tongue-padder, The private Theif. 
With Directions how to prevent them, Also an exact description of every one 
of their Practices. Written by one who was a Prisoner in Newgate. 
Panted for T. Newton, 1676. 

Glasiers, thieves who enter houses, thro' windows, first remouing a 
pane of glass (p. 4). 

1 We quote from four out of the five tracts contained in the volume. The 
title of the tract we do not quote is ' Hanging not Punishment enough,' etc., 
London, 1701. 



XX11 WARNING FOR HOUSEKEEPERS. STREET R0BBERTE8. 

The following is a Budg and Snudg song : — 
" The Budge it is a delicate trade, 
And a delicate trade of fame ; 
For when that we have bit the bloe, 
We carry away the game : 
But if the cully nap us, 
And the lurres from us take, 
then they rub us to the whitt, 
And it is hardly worth a make. 
But when that we come to the whitt 
Our Darbies to behold, 
And for to take our penitencj', 
And boose the water cold. 
But when that we come out agen, 
As we walk along the street, 
We bite the Culley of his cole, 
But we are rubbed unto the whitt: 
And when that we come to the whitt, 
For garnish they do cry, 

Mary, faugh, you son of a wh 

Ye shall have it by and by. 

But when that we come to Tyburn, 

For going upon the budge, 

There stands Jack Catch, that son of a w 

That owes us all a grudge 

And when that he hath noosed us 

And our friends tips him no cole 

then he throws us in the cart 

And tumbles us into the hole." — (pp. 5, 6.) 

On the last page of this short tract (which consists of eight pages) 
we are promised : 

" In the next Part you shall have a fuller description." 



3. Street Bobberies consider^ ; The reason of their being so frequent, 
with probable means to prevent 'em : To which is added three short 
Treatises — 1 . A Warning for Travellers ; 2. Observations on Souse- 
breakers ; 3. A Caveat for Shopkeepers. London, J. Roberts, [no date] 
Written by a converted Thief. 

Shepherd is mentioned in this hook as being a clever prison 
breaker (p. 6). There is a long list of slang words in this tract. 
The following are only a few of them : 

Abram, Naked Chive, a Knife 

Betty, a Picklock Clapper dudgeon, a beggar born 

Bubble-Buff, Bailiff Collar the Cole, Lay hold on tho 
Bube, Pox money 



STREET ROBBERIES CONSIDER'D. 



Cull, a silly fellow 

Dads, an old man 

Darbies, Iron 

Diddle, Geneva 

Earnest, share 

Elf, little 

Fencer, receiver of stolen goods 

Fib, to beat 

Fog, smoke 

Gage, Exciseman 

Gilt, a Picklock 

Grub, Provender 

Hie, booby- 
Hog, a shilling 
Hum, strong 
Jem, Ring 
Jet, Lawyer 
Kick, Sixpence 
Kin, a thief 
Kit, Dancing-master 
Lap, Spoon-meat 
Latch, let in 
Leake, Welshman 
Leap, all safe 
Mauks, a whore 
Mill, to beat 
Mish, a smock 
Mundungus, sad stuff 
Nan, a maid of the house 
Nap, an arrest 



Nimming, stealing 

Oss Chives, Bone-handled knives 

Otter, a sailor 

Peter, Portmantua 

Plant the Whids, take care what 

you say 
Popps, Pistols 
Rubbs, hard shifts 
Rumbo Ken, Pawn-brokers 
Rum Mort, fine Woman 
Smable, taken 
Smeer, a painter 
Snafflers, Highwaymen 
Snic, to cut 
Tattle, watch 
Tic, trust 
Tip, give 
Tit, a horse 
Tom Pat, a parson 
Tout, take heed 
Tripe, the belly 
Web, cloth 
Wobble, l o boil 
Yam, to eat 
Yelp, a crier 
Yest, a day ago 
Zad, crooked 
Znees, Frost 

Zouch, an ungenteel man 
&c. a Bookseller 



" The King of the Night, as the Constables please to term themselves, 
should be a little more active in their employment ; but all their busi- 
ness is to get to a watch house and guzzle, till their time of going home 
comes." (p. 60.) 

" A small bell to Window Shutters would be of admirable use to pre- 
vent Housebreakers." (p. 70.) 



4. A true discovery of the Conduct of Receivers and Thief-Takers, in 
and about the City of London, &c, &c. London, 1718. 

This pamphlet is " design'd as preparatory to a larger Treatise, 
wherein shall he propos'd Methods to extirpate and suppress for the 
future such villanous Practices." It is by " Charles Hitchin, one of 
the Marshals of the City of London." 

I now take leave of Harman, with a warm commendation of him 
to the reader. 



XXXV PARSON HABEN S SERMON ON THIEVES 

The third piece in the present volume is a larky Sermon in 
praise of Thieves and Thievery, the title of which (p. 93, below) 
happened to catch my eye when I was turning over the Cotton 
Catalogue, and which was printed here, as well from its suit- ' 
ing the subject, as from a pleasant recollection of a gallop some 30 
years ago in a four-horse coach across Harford-Bridge-Plat, where 
Parson Haben (or Hyberdyne), who is said to have preached the 
Sermon, was no doubt robbed. My respected friend Goody-goody 
declares the sermon to be ' dreadfully irreverent ; ' but one needn't 
mind him. An earlier copy than the Cotton one turned up among 
the Lansdowne MSS, and as it differed a good deal from the Cotton 
text, it has been printed opposite to that. 

Of the fourth piece in this little volume, The Gh'oundivorJce of 
Conny-catching, less its reprint from Harman, I have spoken above, 
at p. xiv. There was no good in printing the whole of it, as we 
should then have had Harman twice over. 



The growth of the present Text was on this wise : Mr Yiles 
suggested a reprint of Stace's reprint of Harman in 1573, after it had 
been read with the original, and collated with the earlier editions. 
The first edition I could not find, but ascertained, with some trouble, 
and through Mr W. C. Hazlitt, where the second and third editions 
were, and borrowed the 3rd of its ever-generous owner, Mr Henry 
Huth. Then Mr Hazlitt told me of Awdeley, which he thought was 
borrowed from Harman. However, Harman's own words soon 
settled that point ; and Awdeley had to precede Harman. Then 
the real bagger from Harman, the Groundworlce, had to be added, 
after the Parson's Sermon. Mr Yiles read the proofs and revises 
of Harman with the original : Mr Wood and I have made the Index ; 
and I, because Mr Viles is more desperately busy than myself, have 
written the Preface. 

The extracts from Mr J. P. Collier must be taken for what they 
are worth. I have not had time to verify them ; but assume them to 
be correct, and not ingeniously or unreasonably altered from their 
originals, like Mr Collier's print of Henslowe's Memorial, of which 



MR PAYNE COLLIERS WORK AND ALTERATIONS. XXV 

Dt Ingleby complains, 1 and like his notorious Alleyn letter. If some 
one only would follow Mr Collier through all his work — pending his 
hoped-for Retractations, — and assure us that the two pieces above- 
named, and the Perkins Folio, are the only things we need reject, 
such some-one would render a great service to all literary anti- 
quarians, and enable them to do justice to the wonderful diligence, 
knowledge, and acumen, of the veteran pioneer in their path. Cer- 
tainly, in most of the small finds which we workers at this Text 
thought we had made, we afterwards found we had been anticipated 
by Mr Collier's Registers of the Stationers' Company, or Biblio- 
graphical Catalogue, and that the facts were there rightly stated. 

1 To obviate the possibility of mistake in the lection of this curious docu- 
ment, Mr E. W. Ashbee has, at my request, and by permission of the Governors 
of Dulwich College (where the paper is preserved), furnished me with an exact 
fac-simile of it, worked off on somewhat similar paper. By means of this fac- 
simile my readers may readily assure themselves that in no part of the me- 
morial is Lodge called a " player ; " indeed he is not called " Thos. Lodge," 
and it is only an inference, an unavoidable conclusion, that the Lodge here 
spoken of is Thomas Lodge, the dramatist. Mr Collier, however, professes to 
find that he is there called " Thos. Lodge," and that it [the Memorial] contains 
this remarkable grammatical inversion ; 

" and haveinge some knowledge and acquaintaunce of him as a player, 

requested me to be his baile," 
which is evidently intended to mean, as I had some knowledge and acquaint- 
ance of Lodge as a player, he requested me to be his baile. But in this place 
the original paper reads thus, 

" and havinge of me some knowledge and acquaintaunce requested me 

to be his bayle," 
meaning, of course, Lodge, having some knowledge and acquaintance of me. 
requested me to be his bail. 

The interpolation of the five words needed to corroborate Mr Collier's 
explanation of the misquoted passage from Gosson, and the omission of two 
other words inconsistent with that interpolation, may be thought to exhibit 
some little ingenuity ; it was, however, a feat which could have cost him no 
great pains. But the labour of recasting the orthography of the memorial 
must have been considerable ; while it is difficult to imagine a rational motive 
to account for such labour being incurred. To expand the abbreviations and 
modernize the orthography might have been expedient, as it would have been 
easy. But, in the name of reason, what is the gain of writing ivheare and 
theare for "where" and "there;" cleere, yeeld, and meerly for "clere," 
" yealde," and " merely ; " verie, anie, laic, waie, paie, yssue, and pryvily, for 
"very," "any,""lay," "way," "pay," " issue," and " privylie ; " sondrie, begon, 
and doen for " sundrie," " began," and " don ; " and thintent, thaction, and 
thacceptaunce for "the intent," "the action," and "the acceptaunce " 1 — p. 14 
of Dr C. M. InglSby's ' Was Thomas Lodge an Actor ? An Exposition touching 
the Social Status of the Playwright in the time of Queen Elizabeth.' Printed 
for the Author by R. Barrett and Sons, 13 Mark Lane, 1868. It. Gd. 



XXVI PRINT THE STATIONERS' REGISTERS. 

That there is pure metal in Mr Collier's work, and a good deal 
of it, few will doubt; but the dross needs refining out. I hope 
that the first step in the process may be the printing of the whole 
of the Stationers' Eegisters from their start to 1700 at least, by the 
Camden Society, — within whose range this work well lies, — or by 
the new Harleian or some other Society. It ought not to be left 
to the ' Early English Text ' to do some 20 years hence. 

F. J. Eurnivall. 
29 Nov., 1869. 



P.S. For a curious Ballad describing beggars' tricks in the 17th century, 
say about 1650, see the Koxburghe Collection, i. 42-3, and the Ballad Society's 
reprint, now in the press for 1869, i. 137-41, ' The cunning Northerne Beggar': 
1. he shams lame ; 2. he pretends to be a poor soldier ; 3. a sailor ; 4. cripple ; 
5. diseased ; 6. festered all over, and face daubed with blood ; 7. blind ; 8. has 
had his house burnt. 



FORETALK TO NEW SHAKSPERE SOCIETY'S IMPRINT (1880). 

Thomas Barman's Will (p. xiv, above) I couldn't find at Doctors' Commons 
when I searcht for it, though three John-Harman wills of his time turnd up. 

The print of the Stationers' Eegisters calld for above, has since been 
produc't by Mr. Arber, to whose energy we are all so much indebted for such 
numbers of capital texts ; and the book only needs an Index to be of real use. 
The entries on p. ii, vi, vii, above, are in Arber's Transcript, i. 157, 334, 345. 
(See too i. 348, 369.f) The Hunterian Club, Glasgow, reprinted, in 1874, 
S. Eowland's Mavtin Mark-all (p. xvi, above) from the text of 1610, in its 
handsome edition of all Rowlands's works. 

As connected, more or less, with the Vagabonds of London, I add, opposite, 
a copy of the curious cut of the notorious Southwark brothel, ' Holland's 
Leaguer' in 1632, on which Mr. Bendle has commented in his " Bankside, 
Southwark," Harrison, Part II. p. ix-x, and the site of which is shown on 
the left of our first plan from Boque's Map, %b. p. 67*. 

The Brothel is shown, says Mr. Ebsworth, (Amanda Ballads, 1880, p. 507*), 
xortified and sentried, as kept by a Mrs. Holland, before 1631. " The picture 
was frontispiece of a quarto pamphlet, ' Holland's Leaguer ; or, an Historical 
Discourse of the Life and Actions of Donna Britanica Hollandia, the Arch 
Mistrisofthe wicked women of Eutopia : wherein is detected the notorious sinne 
of Pandarisme,' etc., sm. 4to. printed by A. M. for Richard Barnes, 1632. . . . 

" Holland's Leaguer claimed to be an island out of the ordinary jurisdiction. 
The portcullis, drawbridge, moat, and wicket for espial, as well as an armed 
bully or Pandar to quell disagreeable intruders, if by chance they got 
admittance without responsible introduction, all point to an organized system. 
There were also the garden-walks for sauntering and 'doing a spell of 
embroidery, or fine work,' i. e. flirtation ; the summer-house that was pro- 

t i. 270 : A ballett intituled Tom Tell Truth, a.d. 1565 ; and i. 307, ' an interlude, 
the Crucll Better by Wager,' licenst to Colwell in 1565-6. 



FORBTALK TO REPRINT OP 1880. 



verbially famous or infamous for intrigues, and the river conveniently near for 
disposal of awkward visitors who might have met with misadventure. 

" Shackerly Marmion's ' excellent comedy,' Holland's Leaguer, 1632, was 
reprinted in 1875, in William Paterson of Edinburgh's choice series, Dramatists 
of the Restoration. The fourth act gives an exposure of the Leaguers' garri- 
son, where riot, disease, and robbery are unchecked. Thus Trimalchw says, 
' I threw thy Cerberus a sleepy morsel, 
And paid thy Charon for my waft age over, 
And I have a golden sprig for my Proserpina. 
Bawd: Then you are welcome, Sir ! ' 




" Yet before long the visitors are shouting ' Murder ! Murder ! ' 
' They have spoiled us 
Of our cloaks, our hats, our swords, and our money. 
My brother talked of building of a score, \i. e. " Tick it."] 
And straight they seized onr cloaks for the reckoning.' " 
" The long-credit system did not suit at that establishment, where the health 
and lives of visitors were uninsured. The Proprietress had early declared the 
free list to be entirely suspended : 

' I'll take no tickets nor no future stipends. 
'Tis not false titles, or denominations 
Of offices can do it. I must have money. 
Tell them so. Draw the bridge.' — (Act iv. sc. 2.)" 



XXV111 




THE 

Fraternitye of Vacabondes. 

As wel of ruflyng Vacabondes, as of beggerly, of 
women as of men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, 

with 

their proper names and qualities. 
With a description of the crafty company of 

Cousoncrs antr &])tftcr;gu 

IT Wherunto also is aclioyned 

tijs .y$. ©rte of Htnaufc*, 

otherwyse called 

a (Quartern of ItnauesL 

Confirmed for euer oy Cocke Lorell. 

( * ) 

1T The Vprightman speaketh. 

IT Our Brotherhood 1 of Vacabondes, 
If you would know where dwell : 
In graues end Barge which syldome standes, 
The talke wyll shew ryght well. 

f Cocke Lorell aunswereth. 

% Some orders of my Knaues also 
In that Barge shall ye fynde : 
For no where shall ye Avalke 1 trow, 
But ye shall see their kynde. 



IT Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdeley, dwellyng in little 

Britayne streete without Aldersgate. 

1575. 

1 Orig. Brothethood. 
1 



nmfifr.] % The Printer to the Reader. 



rpHis brotherhood of Vacahondes, 
■*• To shew that there be such in deede ■ 
Both Iustices and men of Landes, 
Wyll testifye it if it neede. 

For at a Sessions as they sat, 
By chaunce a Vacabond was got. 

IF Who promysde if they would him spare, 
And keepe his name from knowledge then : 
He would as straunge a thing declare, 
As euer they knew synce they were men. 
But if my fellowes do know (sayd he) 
That thus I dyd, they would kyll me. 

IT They graunting him this his request, 
He dyd declare as here is read, 
Both names and states of most and least, 
Of this their Vacabondes brotherhood. 
Which at the request of a worshipful ma» 
I haue set it forth as well as I can. 



FINIS. 



[leaf 2] 1T The 

jfratntutgt of ^acabouius 

both rufling and beggerly, 

JHen anti foomen, 33ogcs anti (Snrleg, 

wyth 
their proper names and qualities. 

Whereunto are adioyned 

tfje company of (fTousonersi anti lifters. 



1T AN ABRAHAM MAN. 

AH" Abraham, man is he that walketh bare armed, and bare legged, 
and fayneth hym selfe mad, and caryeth a packe of wool, or a 
sty eke with baken on it, or such lyke toy, and nameth himselfe poore 
Tom. 

IT A RUFFELER. 

A Ruffeler goeth wyth a weapon to seeke seruice, saying he hath 
bene a Seruitor in the wars, and beggeth for his reliefe. But his 
chiefest trade is to robbe poore wayfaring men and market women. 

IT A PRYGMAN. 

A Prygman goeth with a stycke in hys hand like an idle person. 
His propertye is to steale cloathes of the hedge, which they call 
storing of the Rogeman : or els filtch Poultry, carying them to the 
Alehouse, whych they call the Bowsyng In, & ther syt playing at 
cardes and dice, tyl that is spent which they haue so fylched. 



4 AWDELEY. THE FRATERNITY OP VACABONDES. 

IT A WHIPIAOKE. 

A Whypiacke is one, that by coulor of a counterfaite Lisence 
(which they call a Gybe, and the seales they cal Iarckes) doth vse 
to beg lyke a Maryner, But hys chiefest trade is to rob Bowthes in 
a Faire, or to pilfer ware from staules, which they cal heauing of the 
Bowth. 

IT A PRATER. 

A Prater goeth wyth a like Lisence to beg for some Spittlehouse 
or Hospital. Their pray is commonly vpow [leaf 2 &.] poore women as 
they go and come to the Markets. 

1T A QUIRE BIRD. 

A Quire bird is one that came lately out of prison, & goeth to 
seeke seruice. He is commonly a stealer of Horses, which they terme 
a Priggar of Paulfreys. 

H AN VPRIGHT MAN. 

An Vpright man is one that goeth wyth the trunchion of a staffe, 
which staffe they cal a Piltchmaw. This man is of so much author- 
ity, that meeting with any of his profession, he may cal them to 
accompt, & commaund a share or snap vnto him selfe, of al that they 
haue gained by their trade in one moneth. And if he doo them 
wrong, they haue no remedy agaynst hym, no though he beate them, 
as he Tseth commonly to do. He may also commaund any of their 
women, which they cal Doxies, to serue his turne. He hath ye 
chiefe place at any market walke, & other assembles, & is not of any 
to be cowtroled. 

IT A CURTALL. 

A Curtail is much like to the Vpright man, but hys authority is 
not fully so great. He vseth commonly to go with a short cloke, 
like to grey Priers, & his woman with him in like liuery, which he 
calleth his Altham if she be hys wyfe, & if she be his harlot, she is 
called hys Doxy. 

1T A PALLIARD. 

A Palliard is he that goeth in a patched cloke, and hys Doxy 
goeth in like apparell. 



AWDELEY. THE FRATERNITY OF VACABONDES. 

H AN IRISHE TOYLE. 

An Irishc toyle is he that carieth his ware in hys wallet, as laces, 
pins, poyntes, and snch like. He vseth to shew no wares vntill he 
haue his almes. And if the good man and wyfe he not in the way, 
he procureth of the ch[i]lldrere or seruants a fleece of wool, or the 
worth of xij.d. of some other thing, for a peni worth of his wares. 

[leafS.] H A IACK MAN. 

A Iackeman is he that can write and reade, and somtime spoakc 
latin. He vseth to make counterfaite licences which they call Gybes, 
and sets to Seales, in their language called Iarkes. 

II A SWYGMAN. 

A Swygman goeth with a Pedlers pack. 

H A WASIIMAN. 

A Washman is called a Palliard, hut not of the right making. 
He vseth to lye in the hye way with lame or sore legs or armes to 
beg. These men ye right Pilliards wil often times spoile, but they 
dare not complayn. They be bitten with Spickworts, & somtime with 
rats bane. 

IT A TINKARD. 

A Tinkard haueth his hag a sweating at the Alehouse, which 
they terme their Bowsing In, and in the meane season goeth abrode 
a begging. 

H A WYLDE ROGE. 

A wilde Roge is he that hath no abiding place but by his coulour 
of going abrode to beg, is commonly to seeke some kinsman of his, 
and all that be of hys corporation be properly called Eoges. 

IF A KITCHEN CO. 

A Ivitchin Co is called an ydle runagate Boy. 

IT A KITCHEN MORTES. 

A Kitchin Mortes is a Gyrle, she is brought at her full age to the 
Vpryght man to be broken, and so she is called a Doxy, vntil she 
come to ye honor of an Altham. 



6 AWDELEY. THE FRATERNITY OF VACABONDES. 

IT DOXIES. 

Note especially all which go abroade working laces and shirt 
stringes, they name them Doxies. 

1T A PATRIARKE CO. 

A Patriarke Co doth make manages, & that is vntill [leafs&j 
death depart the maried folke, which is after this sort: When 
they come to a dead Horse or any dead Catell, then they shake hands 
and so depart euery one of them a seuerall way 



IT THE COMPANY OF COTJSONEKS AND SHIFTERS. 

IF A CURTESY MAN. 

A Curtesy man is one that walketh about the back lanes in 
London in the day time, and sometime in the broade streetes in the 
night season, and when he meeteth some handsome yong man clenly 
apareled, or some other honest Citizen, he maketh humble saluta- 
tions and low curtesy, and sheweth him that he hath a worde or two 
to speake with his mastership. This child can behaue him selfe 
manerly, for he wyll desire him that he talketh withall, to take the 
vpper hand, and shew him much reuerence, and at last like his 
familier acquaintaunce will put on his cap, and walke syde by syde, 
and talke on this fashion : Oh syr, you seeme to be a man, and one 
that fauoureth men, and therefore I am the more bolder to breake 
my mind vnto your good maistership. Thus it is syr, ther is a cer- 
taine of vs (though I say it both taule and handsome men of theyr 
hands) which haue come lately from the wars, and as God knoweth 
haue nothing to take to, being both maisterles and moniles, & know- 
ing no way wherby to yerne one peny. And further, wher as we 
haue bene welthely brought vp, and we also haue beene had in good 
estimation, we are a shamed now to declare our misery, and to fall 
a crauing as common Beggers, and as for to steale and robbe, (God is 
our record) it striketh vs to [leaf 4] the hart, to thinke of such a 
mischiefe, that euer any handsome man should fall into such a 



AWDELEY. THE FRATERNITY OF VACABONDES. 7 

daunger for thys worldly trash. Which if we had to suffise our 
want and necessity, we should neuer seeke thus shamefastly to craue 
on such good pityfull men as you seeme to be, neither yet so daunger- 
ously to hasarde our Hues for so vyle a thing. Therefore good syr, 
as you seeme to be a handsome man your selfe, and also such a one 
as pitieth the miserable case of handsome men, as now your eyes 
and countenaunce sheweth to baue some pity vppon this my miser- 
able complaintc : So in Gods cause I require your maistershyp, & in 
the behalfe of my poore afflicted fellowes, which though here in sight 
they cry not with me to you, yet wheresouer they bee, I am sure 
they cry vnto God to moue the heartes of some good men to shew 
forth their liberality in this behalfe. All which & I with them craue 
now the same request at your good masterships hand. With these or 
such like words he frameth his talke. Now if the party (which he 
thus talketh withall) profereth hym a peny or .ii.d. he taketh it, but 
verye scornfully, and at last speaketh on this sorte : Well syr, your 
good will is not to be refused. But yet you shall vnderstand (good 
syr) that this is nothing for them, for whom I do thus shamefastly 
entreate. Alas syr, it is not a groate or .xii.d. I speake for, being 
such a company of Seruiters as wee haue bene : yet neuertheles God 
forbid I should not receiue your gentle offer at this time, hoping 
hereafter through your good motions to some such lyke good gentle- 
man as you be, that I, or some of my fellowes in my place, shall 
finde the more liberality. These kind of ydle Vacabondes wyll go 
commonly well appareled, without [leaf 4 6.] any weapon, and in 
place where they meete together, as at their hosteryes or other places, 
they wyll beare the port of ryght good gentlemen, & some are the 
more trusted, but commonly thei pay them with stealing a paire of 
sheetes, or Couerlet, & so take their farewell earely in the morning, 
before the mayster or dame be sturring. 

IF A CHEATOUR OR FINGERER. 

These commonly be such kinde of idle Vacabondes as scarcely a 
man shall discerne, they go so gorgeously, sometime with waiting 
men, and sometime without. Their trade is to walke in such places, 
where as gentelmen & other worshipfull Citizens do resorte, as at 



8 AWDELBY. THE FRATERNITY OF VACABONDES. 

Poules, or at Christes Hospital, & somtime at ye Koyal exchaunge. 
These haue very many acquaintaunces, yea, and for the most part will 
acquaint them selues with euery man, and fayne a society, in one 
place or other. But chiefly they wil seeke their acquaintaunce of 
such (which they haue learned by diligent enquiring where they re- 
sort) as haue receyued some porcioun of money of their friends, as 
yong Gentlemen which are sent to London to study the lawes, or els 
some yong Marchant man or other kynde of Occupier, whose friendes 
hath geuen them a stock of mony x to occupy withall. "When they 
haue thus found out such a pray, they will find the meanes by theyr 
familiarity, as very curteously to bid him to breakefast at one place 
or other, where they are best acquainted, and closely amonge them- 
selues wil appoint one of their Fraternity, which they call a Fyn- 
gerer, an olde beaten childe, not onely in such deceites, but also such 
a one as by his age is painted out with gray heares, wrinkled face, 
crooked back, and most commonly lame, as it might seeme with age, 
[leaf 5] yea and such a one as to shew a simplicity, shal weare a 
homely cloke and hat scarce worth .vi. d. This nimble fingred 
knight (being appointed to this place) commeth in as one not 
knowen of these Cheatours, but as vnwares shal sit down at the end 
of the bord where they syt, & call for his peny pot of wine, or a 
pinte of Ale, as the place serueth. Thus sitting as it were alone, 
mumblyng on a crust, or some such thing, these other yonckers wil 
finde some kind of mery talke with him, some times questioning 
wher he dAvelleth, & sometimes enquiring what trade he vseth, which 
commonly he telleth them he vseth husbandry : & talking thus 
merely, at last they aske him, how say est thou, Father, wylt thou play 
for thy breakfast with one of vs, that we may haue some pastime as 
we syt 1 Thys olde Karle makyng it straunge at the first saith : My 
maysters, ich am an old man, and halfe blinde, and can skyl of very 
few games, yet for that you seeme to be such good Gentelmen, as to 
profer to play for that of which you had no part, but onely I my 
selfe, and therefore of right ich am worthy to pay for it, I shal with 
al my hart fulfyl your request. And so falleth to play, somtime at 
Cardes, & sometime at dice. Which through his coureterfait simplicity 

1 Orig. raony 



AWDELEY. THE FRATERNITY OF VACABONDES. 9 

in the play somtim.es ouer connteth himself, or playeth somtimes 
against his wyl, so as he would not, & then counterfaiteth to be 
angry, and falleth to swearing, & so leesing that, profereth to play for 
a shillyng or two. The other therat hauing good sport, seming to 
mocke him, falleth againe to play, and so by their legerdemane, & 
counterfaiting, winneth ech of them a shilling or twain, & at last 
whispereth the yong man in the eare to play with hym also, that 
ech one might haue a fling at him. [leaf 5 b.] This yong maw for 
company falleth againe to play also with the sayd Fyngerer, and win- 
neth as the other did which when he had loste a noble or .vi. s. 
maketh as though he had lost al his mony, and falleth a intreating 
for parte thereof againe to bring him home, which the other know- 
ing his mind and intent, stoutely denieth and iesteth, & scoffeth at 
him. This Fingerer seeming then to be in a rage, desireth them as 
they are true gentlemen, to tarry till he fetch eth more store of money, 
or els to point some place where they may meete. They seeming 
greedy hereof, promiseth faithfully and clappeth handes so to meete. 
They thus ticklyng the young man in the eare, willeth him to make 
as much money as he can, and they wil make as much as they can, 
and consent as though they wil play booty against him. But in the 
ende they so vse the matter, that both the young man leeseth his 
part, and, as it seemeth to him, they leesing theirs also, and so maketh 
as though they would fal together by the eares with this fingerer, 
which by one wyle or other at last conueyeth him selfe away, & they 
as it were raging lyke mad bedlams, one runneth one way, an other an 
other way, leauing the loser indeede all alone. Thus these Cheatours 
at their accustomed hosteries meete closely together, and there re- 
ceiue ech one his part of this their vile spoyle. Of this fraternity 
there be that be called helpers, which commonly haunt tauernes or 
alehouses, and co?>imeth in as men not acquainted with none in the 
companye, but spying them at any game, wil byd them God spede 
and God be at their game, and will so place him selfe that he will 
shew his fellow by sygnes and tokens, without speech commonly, but 
sometime with far fetched [leaf 6] wordes, what cardes he hath in 
his hand, and how he may play against him. And those betwene 
them both getteth money out of the others purse. 



10 AWDELEY. THE FRATERNITY OF VACABONDES. 

^T A RING FALLER. 

A Ryng faller is he that getteth fayre copper rings, some made like 
signets, & some after other fashions, very faire gylded, & walketh vp 
and down the streetes, til he spieth some man of the country, or 
some other simple "body whom he thinketh he may deceaue, and so 
goeth a lyttle before him or them, and letteth fall one of these 
ringes, which when the party that commeth after spieth and taketh 
it vp, he hauing an eye backward, crieth halfe part, the party that 
taketh it vp, thinking it to be of great value, profereth him some 
money for his part, which he not fully denieth, but willeth him to 
come into some alehouse or tauerne, and there they will common 
vpon the matter. Which when they come in, and are set in some 
solitary place (as co mm only they call for such a place) there he desir- 
eth the party that found the ring to shew it him. "When he seeth 
it, he falleth a entreating the party that found it, and desireth him 
to take money for his part, and telleth him that if euer he may do 
him any frendship hereafter he shal commaund him, for he maketh 
as though he were very desirous to haue it. The symple man seeing 
him so importune vpon it, thinketh the ring to bee of great valure, 
and so is the more lother to part from it. At last this ring faller 
asketh him what he will geue him for his part, for, saith he, seeing 
you wyl not let me haue the ring, alowe me my part, and take you 
the rirjg. The other asketh what he counteth the ring to be worth, 
he answereth, v. or vi. pound. No, saith he, it is not so much 
worth, [leaf 66.] Well (saith this Eingfaller) let me haue it, and I 
wyll alow you .xl. s. for your part. The other party standyng in a 
doubt, and looking on the ryng, asketh if he wyll geue the money 
out of hand. The other answereth, he hath not so much ready 
mony about him, but he wil go fetch so much for him, if he wil go 
with him. The other that found the ring, thinking he meaneth truly, 
beginneth to profer him .xx. s. for his part, sometymes more, or les, 
which he verye scornfullye refuseth at the first, and styl entreateth 
that he might haue the ring, which maketh the other more fonder of 
it, and desireth him to take the money for his part, & so profereth 
him money. This ring faller seing y e mony, maketh it very straurcge, 
and first questioneth with him whor he dwelleth, and asketh him 



AWDELEY. THE FRATERNITY OF VACABONDES. 11 

what is his name, & telleth him that he semeth to he an honest 
man, and therfore he wil do somwhat for friendships sake, hoping to 
haue as friendly a pleasure at his hand hereafter, and so profereth 
hym for .x. s. more he should haue the ryng. At last, with entreatye 
on hoth partes, he geueth the Ring faller the money, and so depart- 
eth, thinkyng he hath gotten a very great Iewell. These kynde of 
deceyuing Vacabondes haue other practises with their rings, as som- 
times to come to buy wares of mens Prentesies, and somtimes of their 
Maisters, and when he hath agreed of the price, he sayth he hath not 
so much money about him, but pulleth of one of these rings of from 
his fyngers, and profereth to leaue it in pawne, tyl his Maister or 
his friendes hath sene it, so promising to bring the money, the seller 
thinking he meaneth truly, letteth him go, and neuer seeth him after, 
tyll perhaps at Tyburne or at such lyke place. Ther is another kinde 
of [leaf 7] these Ring choppers, which commonly cary about them a 
faire gold ring in deede, and these haue other counterfait rings made 
so lyke this gold ring, as ye shal not perceiue the contrary, tyl it be 
brougbt to y c touchstone. This child wyl come to borow mony of 
the right gold ring, the party mistrusting the Ring not to be good, 
goeth to the Goldsmith with the partye that hath the ryng, and 
tryeth it whether it be good golde, and also wayeth it to know how 
much it is worth. The Goldsmith tryeth it to be good gold, and also 
to haue hys ful weight like gold, and warenteth the party which shall 
lend the money that the ring is worth so much money according to 
theVaight, this yoncker comming home with the party which shall 
lend the money, and hauing the gold ring againe, putteth vp the 
gold ring, and pulleth out a counterfaite ring very like the same, & 
so deliuereth it to the party which lendeth the money, they thinking 
it to be the same which they tryecl, and so deliuereth the money or 
sometimes wares, and thus vily be deceiued. 



12 



IT THE 

.xxv. ©rfcm 0f Ettaius, 

otherwise called 

a quarteme of Ifcnaueg, 

confirmed for euer by Cocke Lorell. 



1 TROLL AND TROLL BY. 

rpEoll and Trol by, is he that setteth naught by no man, nor 
-■-no man by him. This is he that would beare rule in a place, 

and hath none authority nor thanke, & at last is thrust out of the 

doore like a knaue. 

2 TROLL WITH. 

Troll with is he thai no man shall know the seruaunt from y e 
Maister. This knaue with his cap on his head [leaf 76.] lyke Capon 
hardy, wyll syt downe by his Maister, or els go cheeke by cheeke 
with him in the streete. 

3 TROLL HAZARD OF TRACE. 

Troll hazard of trace is he. that goeth behynde his Maister as far 
as he may see hym. Such knaues commonly vse to buy Spice- 
cakes, Apples, or other trifles, and doo eate them as they go in the 
streetes lyke vacabond Boyes. 



AWDELEY. THE .XXV. ORDERS OF KNAUES. 13 

4 TROLL HAZARD OP TRITRAOE. 

Troll hazard of tritrace, is he that goeth gaping after his Master, 
looking to and fro tyl he haue lost him. This knaue goeth gasyng 
about lyke a foole at euery toy, and then seeketh in euery house 
lyke a Maisterles dog, and when his Maister nedeth him, he is to 
seeke. 

5 CHAPE LITTER. 

Chafe Litter is he that wyll plucke vp the Fether-bed or Matrice, 
and pysse in the bedstraw, and wyl neuer ryse vncalled. This 
knaue berayeth many tymes in the corners of his Maisters chamber, 
or other places inconuenient, and maketh cleane hys shooes with the 
couerlet or curtaines. 

6 OBLOQUTUM. 

Obloquium is hee that wyll take a tale out of his Maisters mouth 
and tell it him selfe. He of right may be called a malapart knaue. 

7 RINCE PYTCHER. 

Rince Pytcher is he that will drinke out his thrift at the ale or 
wine, and be oft times dronke. This is a licoryce knaue that will 
swill his Maisters drink, and brybe his meate that is kept for him. 

8 JEFFREY GODS FO. 

Jeffery Gods Fo is he, that wil sweare & maintaine [leaf 8] othes. 
This is such a lying knaue that none wil beleue him, for the more he 
sweareth, ye les he is to be beleued. 

9 NICHOL HARTLES. 

Nichol Hartles is he, that when he should do ought for his 
Maister hys hart faileth him. This is a Trewand knaue that faineth 
himselfe sicke when he should woorke. 

10 SIMON SOONE AGON. 

Simon soone agon is he, that when his Mayster hath any thing 
to do, he wd hide him out of the way. This is a loytring knaue that 
wil hide him in a corner and sleepe or els run away. 



14 AWDBLBY. THE .XXV. ORDERS OF KNAUES. 

11 GRENE WINCHARD. 

Greene Winchard is he, that when his hose is broken and hange 
out at his shoes, he will put them into his shooes againe with a 
stick, but he wyll not amend them. This is a slouthfull knaue, 
that had leauer go lyke a begger then cleanly. 

12 PROCTOUR. 

Proctour is he, that will tary long, and bring a lye, when his 
Maister sendeth him on his errand. This is a stibber gibber Knaue, 
that doth fayne tales. 

13 COMMITOUR OP TIDINGES. 

Commitour of Tidings is he, that is ready to bring his Maister 
Nouels and tidinges, whether they be true or false. This is a tale 
bearer knaue, that wyll report words spoken in his Maisters presence. 

14 GYLE HATHER 

Gyle Hather is he, that wyll stand by his Maister Avhen he is at 
dinner, and byd him beware that he eate no raw meate, because he 
would eate it himselfe. This is a pickthanke knaue, that would make 
his Maister [leaf 8 6.] beleue that the Cowe is woode. 

15 BAWDE PHISICKE. 

Bawde Phisicke, is he that is a Cocke, when his Maysters meate 
is euyll dressed, and he challenging him therefore, he wyl say he wyll 
eate the rawest morsel thereof him selfe. This is a sausye knaue, 
that wyl contrary his Mayster alway. 

16 MOUNCH PRESENT. 

Mounch present is he that is a great gentleman, for when his 
Mayster sendeth him with a present, he wil take a tast thereof by 
the waye. This is a bold knaue, that sometyme will eate the best 
and leaue the worst for his Mayster. 



AWDELEY. THE .XXV. ORDERS OF KNAUES. 15 

17 COLE PROPHET. 

Cole Prophet is he, that when his Maister sendeth him on his 
errand, he wyl tel his answer therof to his Maister or he depart 
from hym. This tittiuell knane commonly maketh the worst of the 
best betwene hys Maister and his friende. 

18 CORY FAUELL. 

Cory fauell is he, that wyl lye in his bed, and cory the bed hordes 
in which hee lyeth in steede of his horse. This slouthfull knaue wyll 
buskill and scratch when he is called in the morning, for any hast. 

19 DYNG THRIFT. 

Dyng thrift is he, that wil make his Maisters horse eate pies and 
rybs of beefe, and drinke ale and wyne. Such false knaues oft 
tymes, wil sell their Maisters meate to their owne profit. 

20 ESEN DROPPERS. 

Esen Droppers bene they, that stand vnder mens wales or win- 
dowes, or in any other place, to heare the [leaf 9] secretes of a 
mans house. These misdeming knaues wyl stand in corners to heare 
if they be euill spoken of, or waite a shrewd turne. 

21 CHOPLOGYKE. 

Choplogyke, is he that when his mayster rebuketh him of hys 
fault he wyll geue hym .xx. wordes for one, els byd the deuils Pater 
noster in silence. This proude prating knaue wyll maintaine his 
naughtines when he is rebuked for them. 

22 VNTHRIFTE. 

Vnthrift, is he that wil not put his wearing clothes to washing, 
nor black his owne shoes, nor amend his his (sic) own wearing 
clothes. This rechles knaue wyl alway be lousy : and say that hee 
hath no more shift of clothes, and slaunder his Maister. 

23 VNGRACIOUS. 

Vngracious, is he that by his own will, will heare no maner of 
seruice, without he be compelled therunto by his rulers. This Knaue 



16 AWDELEY. THE .XXV. ORDERS OP KNAUES. 

wil sit at the alehouse drinking or playing at dice, or at other games 
at seruice tyme. 

24 NUNQUAM. 

]STunquam, is he that when his Maister sendeth him on his errand 
he wil not come againe of an hour or two where he might haue 
done it in halfe an houre or lesse. This knaue will go about his 
owne errand or pastime and saith he cannot speede at the first. 

25 INGRATUS. 

Ingratus, is he that when one doth all that he can for him, he will 
scant geue him a good report for his labour. This knaue is so in- 
grate or vnkind, that he considreth not his frend from his fo, & wil 
requit euil for good & being put most in trust, wil sonest deceiue his 
maister. 

FINIS. 



deaf 9 6.] Imprinted at London by 

Iohn Awdely dwelling 
in little Britaine streete 
without Aldersgate. 



r Original in Bodleian Library, 4°. R. 21. Art. Seld.] 



% dfmt^t 011 %p% 



FOR COMMEN CVRSE- 



TORS WLGARELY CALLED 

legataries, ut fatty bg SDjromaa ||anran, 

(Bsquicre, for % fcrtilttc ano proftbi of jns italurall 

Cnntrcg. ^ugmcntcb anb inlargcb bg % fgrst author lira of. 
Anno Domini. M.D.LXVII. 

IT Veived, examined, and allowed, according vnto the 
Queenes Maiestyes Iniunctions. 




U gmprintcb at ^tnxbcm, in Jlctcstrcte, at % signc of % 

falcon, bg Wylliam Gryffith, anb arc to be solb at bis srjoppe in 

Slmgnt ghmstoras djjnrclje garbc, in % Wtnt 

%xmo §tonrint. 1567. 

[The Bodley edition of 1567 omits 'or Warening' in line 1, and 'Anno Domini. 1567.' at 
foot ; and substitutes ' Newly Augmented and Imprinted ' for 'Augmented . . . here of, 
line 6.] 

2 



HARMAN. THE EPISTLE. 19 



Peaf 2] 

IT To the ryglit honorable and my singular good Lady, Elizabeth 
Countes of Shrewsbury, Thomas Harman wisheth all ioye and 
perfite felicitie, here and in the worlde to come. 

AS of Auncient and longe tyme there hath bene, and is now at 
this present, many good, godly, profitable lawes and actes 
made and setforthe in this most noble and floryshynge realme, 
for the reliefe, succour, comforte, and sustentacion of the 
poore, nedy, impotent, and myserable creatures beinge and 
inhabiting in all parts of the same ; So is there (ryghte hon- 
orable and myne especyall good Lady) most holsom estatutes, ordi- 
nances, and necessary lawes, made, setforth, and publisshed, for the 
extreme punishement of all vagarantes and sturdy vacabons, as pass- 
eth throughe and by all parts of this famous yle, most idelly and 
wyckedly : and I wel, by good experience, vnderstandinge and con- 
sideringe your most tender, pytyfull, gentle, and noble nature, — not 
onelye hauinge a vygelant and mercifull eye to your poore, indygente, 
and feable parishnores ; yea, not onely in the parishe where your 
honour moste happely doth dwell, but also in others inuyroninge or 
nigbe adioyning to the same; As also aboundantly powringe out dayely 
your ardent and bountifull charytie vppon all such as commeth for re- 
liefe vnto your luckly gates, — 

I thought it good, necessary, and my bounden dutye, to acquaynte 
your goodnes Avith the abhominable, wycked, and detestable behauor 
of all these rowsey, ragged rabblement of rakehelles, that — vnder the 
pretence of great misery, dyseases, and other innumerable calamites 



20 HARMAN. THE EPISTLE. 

whiche they fayne — through great hipocrisie do wyn and gayne great 
almes in all places where they wyly wander, to the vtter deludinge of 
the good geuers, deceauinge and impouerishing of all such poore hous- 
holders, both sicke and sore, as nether can or maye walke abroad for 
reliefe and comforte (where, in dede, most mercy is to he shewed). 
And for that I (most honorable Lady), beinge placed as a poore gen- 
tleman, haue kepte a house these twenty yeares, where vnto pouerty 
dayely hath and doth repayre, not without some reliefe, as my poore 
callinge and habylytie maye and doth extende : I haue of late yeares 
gathered a great suspition that all should not be well, and, as the 
prouerbe say the, " sume thinge lurke and laye hyd that dyd not 
playnely apeare ; " for I, hauinge more occation, throughe sickenes, 
to tary and remayne at home then I haue bene acustomed, do, by my 
there abyding, talke 'and confere dayly with many of these wyly 
wanderars of both sortes, as well men and wemmen, as boyes and 
gyrles, by whom I haue Deaf 2, back] gathered and vnderstande their 
depe dissimulation and detestable dealynge, beinge maruelous suttle 
and craftye in there kynde, for not one amongst twenty wyll discouer, 
eyther declare there scelorous secretes : yet with fayre flatteringe 
wordes, money, and good chere, I haue attained to the typ by such 
as the meanest of them hath wandred these xiii. yeares, and most 
xvi. and some twenty and vpward, 2 and not withoute faythfull pro- 
messe made vnto them neuer to discouer their names or any thinge 
they shewed me ; for they would all saye, yf the vpright men should 
vnderstand thereof, they should not be only greuouslye beaten, but 
put in daunger of their lyues, by the sayd vpright men. There 
was a fewe yeares since a small breefe setforth of some zelous 
man to his countrey, of whom I knowe not, that made a lytle shewe 
of there names and vsage, and gaue a glymsinge lyghte, not suffi- 
cient to perswade of their peuishe peltinge and pickinge 3 practyses, 
but well worthy of prayse. But (good madame), with nolesse 
trauell then good wyll, I haue repayred and rygged the Shyp of 
knowledge, and haue hoyssed vp the sayles of good fortune, that 

1 leaf 2 b. Bodley edition (B). 

2 The severe Act against vagrants, Ed. VI., c. 3, was passed in 1548, only 
19 years before the date of this 2nd edition. 

3 The 1573 edition reads pynking 



HARMAN. THE EPISTLE. 21 

she maye safely passe aboute and through all partes of this noble 
realme, and there make porte sale of her wyshed wares, to the 
confusion of their drowsey demener and vnlawfull language, pyl- 
fring pycking, wily wanderinge, and lykinge lechery, of all these 
rablement of rascales that raunges about al the costes of the same, 
So that their vndecent, dolefull dealing and execrable exercyses. 
may apere to all as it were in a glasse, that therby the Iusticers 
and Shreeues may in their circutes be more vygelant to punishe 
these malefac tores, and the Counstables, Bayliffes, and bosholders, 1 
settinge asyde all feare, slouth, and pytie, may be more circomspect 
in executing the charg geuen them by the aforesayd Iusticers. 
Then wyll no more this rascall rablement raunge about the countrey. 
Then greater reliefe may be shewed to the, pouerty of eche parishe. 
Then shall we kepe our Horses in our pastures vnstolen. Then 
our lynnen clothes shall and maye lye safelye one our hedges 
vntouched. Then shall we not haue our clothes and lynnen hoked 
out at our wyndowes as well by day as by night. Then shall we 
not haue oisr houses broken vp in the night, as of late one of my 
nyghtbors had and two great buckes of clothes stolen out, and 
most of the same fyne Lynnen. Then shall we safely kepe our 
pigges and poultrey from py If ring. Then shall we surely passe by 
2 the hygh waies leading to markets and fayres vnharmed. Then 
shall our Shopes and bothes be vnpycked and spoyled. Then shall 
these vncomly companies be dispersed and set to labour for their 
lyuinge, or hastely hang for [leaf 3] their demerites. Then shall it 
incourrage a great number of gentle men and others, seing this secu- 
ritie, to set vp houses and kepe hospitalytie in the countrey, to the 
comfort of their nighboures, releife of the poore, and to the amende- 
ment of the common welth. Then shall not sinne and wickednes so 
much abound among vs. Then wil gods wrath be much the more 
pacified towards vs. Then shall we not tast of so many and sondry 
plages, as now dayely raigneth ouev vs. And then shall this Famous 
Empyre be in more welth and better florysh, to the inestymable ioye 
and comfort of the Quenes most excelent maiestye, whom god of his 

1 So printed in both 1567 editions. 1573 reads housholders ; but Bors- 
holders is doubtless meant. * leaf 3. B. 



22 HARMAN. THE EPISTLE. 

infinyte goodn.es, to his great glory, long and many yeares make most 
prosperously to raygne ouer vs, to the great Felycitye of all the Peres 
and Nobles, and to the vnspeakable ioye, releife, and quietnes of 
minde, of all her faythfull Commons and Suhiectes. Now, me 
thinketh, I se how these peuysh, peruerse, and pestile?zt people 
begyn to freat, fume, sweare, and stare at this my booke, their lyfe 
being layd open and aparantly paynted out, that their confusion 
and end draweth one a pase. Where as in dede, if it be well 
waied, it is set forth for their synguler profyt and coramoditie, for the 
sure safegard of their lyues here in this world, that they shorten 
not the same before l their time, and that by their true labour and 
good lyfe, in the world to com they may saue their Soules, that 
Christ, the second person in [the] Trinytie, hath so derely bought with 
his most precious bloud : so that hereby I shall do them more good 
then they could haue deuised for them selues. For behold, their 
lyfe being so manyfest wycked and so aparantlye knowen, The hon- 
orable wyl abhore them, The worshipfull wyll reiecte them, The 
yemen wyll sharpely tawnte them, The Husband men vtterly defye 
them, The laboryng men bluntly chyde them, The wemen with a loud 
exclamation 2 wonder at them, And all Children with clappinge 
handes crye out at them. I manye times musing with my selfe at 
these mischeuous misliuers, merueled when they toke their oryginall 
and beginning ; how long they haue exercised their execrable wan- 
dring about. I thought it meete to confer with a very old man that 
I was well acquaynted with, whose wyt and memory is meruelous for 
his yeares, beinge about the age of fourescore, what he knewe when he 
was yonge of these lousey leuterars. And he shewed me, that when 
he was yonge he wayted vpon a man of much worshyp in Kent, who 
died immediatly after the last Duke of Buckingham was beheaded : 
at his buryall there was such a number of beggers, besides poore 
housholders dwelling there abouts, that vnneth they mighte lye or 
stande aboute the House : then was there Deaf 3, back] prepared for 
them a great and a large barne, and a great fat oxe sod out in 
Furmenty for them, with bread and drinke aboundantly to furnesh 
out the premisses ; and euery person had two pence, for such was the 
1 Printed " brfore " 2 reclamation. B. 



HARMAN. THE EPISTLE. 23 

dole. When Night approched, the pore housholders repaired home 
to their houses : the other wayfaring hold heggers remained alnight 
in the harne ; and the same harne heing serched with light in the 
night hy this old man (and then yonge), with l others, they tolde 
seuen score persons of men, euery of them hauing his woman, except 
it were two wemen that lay alone to gether for some especyall cause. 
Tims hauing their makes to make mery withall, the huriall was turned 
to housing and "belly chere, morning to myrth, fasting to feasting, 
prayer to pastyme and pressing of papes, and lamenting to Lechery. 
So that it may apere this vncomly company hath had a long contin- 
uance, hut then nothinge geuen so much to pylferinge, pyckinge, and 
spoyling ; and, as far as I can learne or vnderstand hy the examina- 
tion of a numher of them, their languag — which they terme peddelars 
Frenche or Canting — hegan hut within these xxx. yeeres, 2 lytle 
ahoue ; and that the first inuenter therof was hanged, all saue the 
head ; for that is the fynall end of them all, or els to dye of some 
filthy and horyhle diseases : hut much harme is don in the meane 
space hy their continuance, as some x., xii., and xvi. yeares before 
they be consumed, and the number of them doth dayly renew. I 
hope their synne is now at the hyghest ; and that as short and as 
spedy a redresse wylhe for these, as hath hene of late yeres for the 
wretched, wily, wandering vagabonds calling and naming them selues 
Egiptians, depely dissemhling and long hyding and couering their 
depe, decetfull practises, — feding the rude common people, wholy 
addicted and geuen to nouelties, toyes, and new inuentions, — 
delyting them with the strangenes of the attyre of their heades, and 
practising paulmistrie to such as would know their fortunes : And, to 
he short, all theues and hores (as T may well wryt), — as some haue 
had true experience, a numher can well wytnes, and a great sorte hath 
well felte it. And now (thankes hee to god), throughe wholsome 
lawes, and the due execution thereof, all he dispersed, banished, 3 and 
the memory of them cleane extynguished ; that when they bee once 
named here after, our Chyldren wyll muche meruell what kynd of 
people they were : and so, I trust, shal shortly happen of these. 

1 The 1573 edition reads and 
2 The 1573 edition here inserts the word or 3 vanished. B. 



24 BARMAN. THE EPISTLE. 

For what thinge doth chiefely cause these rowsey rakehelles thus to 
continue and dayly increase 1 Surely a number of wicked parsons 
that keepe typlinge Houses in all shires, where they haue succour 
and reliefe ; and what so euer they bring, they are sure to receaue 
money for [leaf*] the same, for they sell good penyworthes. The 
byers haue the greatest gayne ; yea, yf they haue nether money nor 
ware, they wylbe trusted ; their credite is much. I haue taken a 
note of a good many of them, and wil send their names and dwell- 
ing-places to such Iusticers as dwelleth nere or next vnto them, that 
they by their good wisdomes may displace the same, and auctoryse 
such as haue honesty. I wyl not blot my boke with their names, 
because they be resident. But as for this fietinge Fellowshyp, I 
haue truly se-tforth the most part of them that be doers at this pre- 
sent, with their names that thay be knowene by. Also, I haue 
placed in the end therof their leud language, calling the same pedlers 
French or Canting. And now shal I end my prologue, makinge true 
declaration (right honorable Lady) as they shal fall in order of their 
vntymelye tryfelinge time, leud lyfe, and pernitious practises, trusting 
that the same shall neyther trouble or abash your most tender, 
tymerous, and pytifull Nature, to thinke the smal mede should growe 
vnto you for such Almes so geuen. For god, our marcifull and most 
Inning father, well knoweth your hartes and good intent, — the geuer 
neuer wanteth his reward, according to the sayinge of Saynt Au- 
gustyn : as there is (neyther shalbe) any synne vnpunished, euen so 
shall there not be eny good dede vnrewarded. But how comfortably 
speaketh Christ our Sauiour vnto vs in his gospel (" geue ye, and it 
shalbe geuen you againe ") : behold farther, good Madam, that for a 
cup of colde water, Christ hath promised a good reward. Now saynt 
Austen properly declareth why Christ speaketh of colde water, be- 
cause the poorest man that is shall not excuse him selfe from that 
cherytable vvarke, least he would, parauenture, saye that he hath 
neyther wood, pot, nor pan to warnie any water with. Se, farther, 
what god speaketh in the mouth of his prophet, Esaye, " breake thy 
bread to him that is a hongred ; " he sayth not geue him a hole lofe, 
for paraduenture the poore man hath it not to geue, then let him geue 
a pece. This much is sayd because the poore that hath it should not 



HABMAN. THE EPISTLE. 25 

be excused : now how much more then the riche 1 Thus you se, good 
madam, for your treasure here dispersed, where nede and lacke 
is, it shalbe heaped vp aboundantly for you in heauen, 
where neither rust or moth shall corupt or destroy 
the same. Vnto which tryumphant place, after 
many good, happy, and fortunat yeres pros- 
perously^ here dispended. you maye for 
euer and euer there most ioyfully 
remayne. A men. 



26 



HARMAN. THE EPISTLE. 




Thre things to be noted 
A. staff, a beesom, and 



all in their kynde 
wy th, th at wy 11 wynde 




IT A beesorne of byrche, for babes very feete, 1 

A longe lastinge lybbet for loubbers as meete 
A wyth to wynde vp, that these wyll not keepe 
Bynde all up in one, and vse it to sweepe 




[This page is printed at the back of the title page in Bodley edition.] 

x fyt.B. 



HARMAN. TO THE READER. 27 

IF THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. [leaf 5] 

AL though, good Reader, I wright in plain termes — and not so 
playnly as truely — concerning the matter, meaning honestly 
to all men, and wyshe them as much good as to myne owne 
harte ; yet, as there hathe bene, so there is nowe, and hereafter wylbe, 
curyous heds to finde fauttes : wherefore I thought it necessary, now 
at this seconde Impression, to acquaynt the with a great faulte, as 
some takethe it, but none l as I meane it, callinge these Vagabonds 
Cursetors in the intytelynge of my booke, as runneres or rangers 
aboute the countrey, deriued of this Laten word (Curro) : neither do 
I wryght it Cooresetores, with a duble 2 oo ; or Cowresetors, with a w, 
which hath an other signification : is there no deuersite betwen a 
gardein and a garden, maynteynaunce and maintenance, Streytes and 
stretes 1 those that haue vnderstanding knowe there is a great dyffer- 
ence : who is so ignorant by these dayes as knoweth not the meaning 
of a vagabone 1 and yf an ydell leuterar should be so called of eny 
man, would not he think it bothe odyous and reprochefull 1 wyll he 
not shonne the name 1 ye, and where as he maye and dare, with bent 
browes, wyll reueng that name of Ingnomy : yet this playne name 
vagabone is deryued, as others be, of Laten wordes, and now vse 
makes it commen to al men ; but let vs loke back four .C. yeres 
sithens, and let vs se whether this playn word vagabon was vsed or 
no. I beleue not, and why 1 because I rede of no such name in the 
old estatutes of this realme, vnles it be in the margente of the booke, 
or in the Table, which in the collection and pryntinge was set in ; 
but these were then the commen names of these leud leuterars, 
Faytores, Robardesmen, Drawlatches, and valyant beggares. Yf I 
should haue vsed suche wordes, or the same order of wryting, as this 
realme vsed in Kynge Henry the thyrd or Edward the fyrstes tyme, 
oh, what a grose, barberous fellow [leaf 5, back] haue we here ! his 
wryting is both homely and darke, that wee had nede to haue an 
interpretar : yet then it was verye well, and in short season a great 
change we see . well, this delycat age shall haue his tyme on the 

1 The 1573 ed. reads not. 
2 This word is omitted in the 1573 ed. 



28 HARMAN. TO THE READER. 

other syde. Eloquence haue I none ; I neuer was acquaynted with 
the muses ; I neuer tasted of Helycon. But accordinge to my playno 
order, I haue setforth this worke, symplye and truelye, with such 
vsual words and termes as is among vs wel known and frequented. 
So that as the prouerbe say the, "all though truth he blamed, it shal 
neuer he shamed." well, good reader, I meane not to he tedyous vnto 
the, hut haue added fyue or sixe more tales, because some of them 
weare donn whyle my booke was fyrste in the presse ; and as I 
truste I haue deserued no rebuke for my good wyll, euen so I desyre 
no prayse for my payne, cost, and trauell. But faithfullye for the 
proflfyt and benyfyt of my countrey I haue don it, that the whole 
body of the Bealme may se and vnderstand their leud lyfe and per- 
nitious practisses, that all maye spedelye helpe to amend that is 
amysse. Amen saye all with me. 



"Funs 



HARMAN. A RUFFLER. 29 

U A RUPFLER. Ca. I. 1 [leaf 6] 

THE Rufflar, because he is first in degre of this odious order : 
And is so called in a statute made for the punishment of 
Vacabonds, In the xxvij. yeare of Kyng Henry the eight, late 
of most famous memory : Hee shall he first placed, as the 
worthiest of this vnruly rablement. And he is so called when 
he goeth first abroad ; eyther he hath serued in the warres, or 
els he hath bene a seruinge man ; and, weary of well doing, shakinge 
of all payne, doth chuse him this ydle lyfe, and wretchedly wanders 
aboute the most shyres of this realme. And with stout audacyte, 
2 demaundeth where he thinketh hee maye be bolde, and circomspecte 
ynough, as he sethe cause to aske charitie, rufully and lamentably, 
that it would make a flyntey hart to relent, and pytie his miserable 
estate, howe he hath bene maymed and broused in the warres ; and, 
parauenture, some wyll shew you some outward wounde, whiche he 
gotte at some dronken fraye, eyther haltinge of some preuye wounde 
festred with a fylthy firy flankard. For be well assured that the 
hardist souldiers be eyther slayne or maymed, eyther and 3 they 
escape all hassardes, and retourne home agayne, if they bee without 
reliefe of their friends, they wyl surely desperatly robbe and steale, 
and 4 eyther shortlye be hanged or miserably dye in pryson ; for they 
be so much ashamed and disdayne to beg or aske charity, that rather 
they wyll as desperatlye fight for to lyue and mayntayne them 
selues, as manfully and valyantly they ventred them selues in 
the Prynces quarell. Now these Rufflars, the out castes of seruing 
men, when begginge or crauinge fayles, then they pycke and pylfer, 
from other inferiour beggeres that they meete by the waye, as 
Eoages, Pallyardes, Mortes, and Doxes. Yea, if they meete with a 
woman alone ridinge to the market, eyther olde man or boye, that 
hee well knoweth wyll not resiste, such they filche and spoyle. 
These rufflars, after a yeare or two at the farthest, become vpryght 
men, vnlesse they be preuented by twind hempe. 

1 The chapters are not noted in the Bodley ed. 

2 The 1573 ed. here inserts the word he 

1 1573 reads if 4 1573 has or 



30 HARM AN. A RUFFLER. 

( I had of late yeares an old man to my tennant, who custom- 
l ahly a greate tyme went twise in the weeke to London, eyther 
wyth fruite or with pescodes, when tyme serued therefore. And as 
he was comminge homewarde on hlacke heathe, at the end thereof 
next to shotars hyl, he ouer tooke two rufnars, the one manerly wayt- 
ing on the other, as one had hen the maister, and the other the man 
or seruant, [leaf 6, back] caryinge his maisteres cloke. this olde man was 
verye glad that hee might haue their company ouer the hyl, hecause 
that day he had made a good market; for hee had seuen shyl- 
linges in his purse, and a nolde angell, which this poore man had 
thought had not hene in his purse, for hee wylled his wyfe ouer 
night to take out the same angell, and laye it vp vntyll his comminge 
home agayne. And he verely thought that his wyfe had so don, 
whiche in dede for got to do it. Thus after salutations had, this 
maister rufflar entered into communication with this simple olde 
man, who, ridinge softlye "beside them, commoned of many matters. 
Thus fedinge this old man with pleasaunt talke, vntyll they weare 
one the toppe of the hyll, where these rufflares might well beholde 
the coaste about them cleare, Quiclye stepes vnto this poore man, 
and taketh holde of his horse brydell, and leadeth him in to the 
wode, and demaundeth of him what and how much money he had 
in his purse. " Now, by my troth," quoth this old man ; " you are 
a merrye gentle man. I knowe you meane not to take a waye anye 
thinge from me, but rather to geue me some if I shoulde aske it of 
you." By and by, this seruant thiefe casteth the cloke that he caried 
on his arme about this poore mans face, that he should not marke or 
vew them, with sharpe words to delyuer quicly that he had, and to 
confesse truly what was in his purse. This poore man, then all 
abashed, yelded, and confessed that he had but iust seuen shyllinges 
in his purse ; and the trouth is he knew of no more. This old 
angell was falen out of a lytle purse into the botome of a great purse. 
Now, this seuen shyllings in whyte money they quickly founde, 
thinkinge in dede that there had bene no more ; yet farther groping 
and searchinge, found this old angell. And with great admiration, 
this gentleman thyefe begane to blesse hym, sayinge, " good lorde, 
what a worlde is this ! howe maye " (quoth hee) " a man beleue 



HARM AN. A VPRIGHT MAN. 31 

or truste in the same 1 se you not " (quoth he) " this old knaue 
tolde me that he had hut seuen shyllings, and here is more by an 
angell : what an old knaue and a false knaue haue we here ! " quoth 
this rufflar ; " oure lorde haue mercy on vs, wyll this worlde neuer he 
better 1 " — and there with went their waye. And lefte the olde man 
in the wood, doinge him no more harme. But sorowfully sighinge, 
this olde man, returning home, declared his misaduenture, with all 
the words and circumstaunces aboue shewed. Wherat, for the tyme 
was great laughing, and this poore man for his losses among his 
louing neighboures well considered in the end. 



A 



1T A VPRIGHT MAN. Ca. 2. 

[leaf 7] ^ Vpright ' man, the second in secte of this vnsemely sorte, 
must be next placed, of these rainginge rablement of 
rascales ; some be seruing men, artificers, and laboryng 
men traded vp in husbandry. These not mindinge to get their 
lyuinge with the swete of their face, but casting of all payne, wyll 
wander, after their wycked maner, through the most shyres of this 
realm, — 

( As Sommerset shyre, Wylshire, Barke shyre, Oxforde shyre, 
( Harfordeshyre, Myddilsex, Essex, Suffolke, jNbrthfolke, Sussex, 
Surrye, and Kent, as the cheyfe and best shyres of reliefe. Yea, 
not with out punishment by stockes, whyppinges, and imprison- 
ment, in most of these places aboue sayde. Yet, not with standinge 
they haue so good lykinge in their lewed, lecherous loyteringe, that 
full quiclye all their punishmentes is 2 for gotten. And repentaunce 
is neuer thought vpon vntyll they clyme three tres with a ladder. 
These vnrewly rascales, in their roylynge, disperse them selues into 
seuerall companyes, as occation serueth, sometyme more and somtyme 
lesse. As, if they repayre to a poore husbandmans house, hee wyll 
go a lone, or one with him, and stoutely demaund his charytie, 
eyther shewing how he hath serued in the warres, and their maymed, 
eyther that he sekethe seruice, and saythe that he woulde be glad to 
take payne for hys lyuinge, althoughe he meaneth nothinge lesse. 

1 Printed "vpreght." vpright in Bodley ed. 
2 1573, he 



32 HAKMAN. A YPRIGHT MAN. 

Yf he "be offered any meate or drynke, he vtterlye refusethe scorne- 
fully, and wyll nought but money ; and yf he espye yong pyges or 
pultry, he well noteth the place, and they the next night, or shortly 
after, hee wyll he sure to haue some of them, whyche they hrynge to 
their stawlinge kens, which is their typplyng houses, as well knowen 
to them, according to the olde prouerhe, " as the hegger knowes his 
dishe." For you must vnderstand, euery Typplyng ale house wyll 
neyther receiue them or their wares, hut some certayne houses in euery 
shyre, especially for that purpose, where they shalhe better welcome 
to them then honester men. For by such haue they most gayne, and 
shalhe conuayde eyther into some loft out of the waye, or other secret 
corner not commen to any other ; and thether repayre, at accustomed 
tymes, their harlots, whiche they terme Mortes and Doxes, — not with 
emty hands ; for they be as skilfull in picking, riffling, and filching 
as the vpright men, and nothing inferior to them in all kind of wyck- 
ednes, as in other places hereafter they shalbe touched. At these 
foresayde peltinge, peuish places and vnmannerly metinges, ! how 
the pottes walke about ! their talking tounges talke at large. They 
bowle and bowse one to another, and for the tyme housing belly 
chere. And after there ruysting recreation, [leaf 7, back] yf there he 
not rome ynough in the house, they haue cleane strawe in some 
barne or backehouse nere adioyning, where they couch comly to 
gether, and l it were dogge and byche ; amd he that is hardyste maye 
haue his choyse, vnlesse for a lytle good maner; some wyll take 
there owne that they haue made promyse vnto, vntyll they be out of 
sight, and then, according to the old adage, " out of minde." Yet 
these vpright men stand so much vpon their reputation, as they wyl 
in no case haue their wemen walke with them, but seperat them 
selues for a tyme, a moneth or more. And mete at fayres, or great 
markets, where they mete to pylfer and steale from staules, shoppes, 
or bothes. At these fayres the vpryght men vse commonly to lye 
and lingar in hye wayes by lanes, some prety way or distaunce from 
the place, by which wayes they be assured that compeny passeth 
sty 11 two and fro. And ther they 2 wyll demaund, with cap in hand 
and comly curtesy, the deuotion and charity of the people. They 
1 1573, as 2 the. B. 



HARMAN. A VPRIGHT MAN. 33 

haue ben much lately whipped at fayrs. Yf they aske at a stout 

yemans or farmars house his charity, they wyll goe strong as thre or 

foure in a company. Where for feare more then good wyll, they 

often haue reliefe. they syldome or neuer passe by a Iustices 

house, but haue by wayes, vnlesse he dwell alone, and but weakely 

manned ; thether wyll they also go strong, after a slye, suttle sorte, as 

with their armes bounde vp with kercher or lyste, hauinge wrapte 

about the same filthy clothes, either their legges in such maner be- 

wrapped halting down right. Not vnprouided of good codg[e]ls, 

which they cary to sustayne them, and, as they fayne, to keepe 

gogges 1 from them, when they come to such good gentlemens houses. 

Yf any searche be made or they suspected for pylfring clothes of 

hedgges, or breaking of houses, which they commonly do when the 

owners bee eyther at the market, church, or other wayes occupyed 

aboute their busines, — eyther robbe some sely man or woman by the 

hye waye, as many tymes they do, — Then they hygh them into wodes, 

great thickets, and other ruffe corners, where they lye lurkinge thre or 

foure dayes to gether, and haue meate and drinke brought them by 

theyre Mortes, and Doxes ; and whyle they thus lye hydden in 

couert, in the iright they be not idle, — nether, as the common saying 

is, " well occupyed ; " for then, as the wyly foxe, crepinge out of his 

den, seketh his praye for pultery, so do these for lynnen and any 

thinge els worth money, that lyeth about or near a house. As som- 

tyme a whole bucke of clothes caryed awaye at a tyme. When they 

haue a greatter booty then they maye cary awaye quickly to their 

stawling kendes, as is aboue sayd, They wyll hyde the same for a 

thre dayes in some thicke couert, and [leaf s] in the night time carye 

the same, lyke good water Spanlles, to their foresayd houses. To 

whom they wyll discouer where or in what places they had the same, 

where the markes shalbe pycked out cleane, and conuayed craftely 

fare of, to sell. If the man or woman of the house want money 

them selues. 2 If these vpright men haue nether money nor wares, at 

these houses they shalbe trusted for their vitales, and it amount to 

twentye or thirty shyllings. Yea, if it fortune any of these vpright 

men to be taken, either suspected, or charged with fellony or petye 

1 dogges. B. 1573 inserts and 

3 



34 HARMAN. A VPRIGHT MAN. 

brybrye, don at such a tyme or such a place, he wyll saye he was in 
his hostes house. And if the man or wyfe of that house be ex- 
amined by an officer, they boldelye vouche, that the[y] lodged him 
suche a tyme, whereby the truth cannot appeare. And if they 
chaunoe to be retained into seruice, through their lamentable words, 
with any welthy man, They wyll tary but a smale tyme, either robbing 
his maister or som of his fellowes. And some of them vseth this 
polocye, that although they trauayle into al these shyres, aboue said, 
yet wyl they haue good credite, espiciallye in one shyre, where at 
diuers good farmars houses they be wel knowen, where they worke a 
moneth in a place or more, and wyll for that time behaue them selues 
very honestly and paynfully ; And maye at any tyme, for their good 
vsage, haue worke of them ; and to these at a ded lyft, or last 
refuge, they maye safely repayre vnto and be welcom, When in other 
places, for a knacke of knauery that they haue playd, thei dare not 
tary. These vyright men wil sildom or neuer want ; for what is 
gotten by anye Mort, or Doxe, if it please him, hee doth comaunde 
the same. And if he mete any begger, whether he be sturdye or 
impotent, he wyll demaund of him, whether euer he was stalled to 
the roge or no. If he saye he was, he wyll know of whom, and his 
name that stalled hym. And if he be not learnedly able to shewe 
him the whole circumstaunce thereof, he wyll spoyle him of his 
money, either of his best garment, if it be worth any money, and 
haue him to the bowsing ken, Which is to some typpling house next 
adioyninge ; and laieth their to gage the best thing that he hath for 
twenty pence or two shyllinges : this man obeyeth for feare of beat- 
ing. Then doth this vpright man call for a gage of bowse, whiche is 
a quarte pot of drinke, and powres the same vpon his peld pate, adding 
these words : — " I. G. P. do stalle thee W. T. to the Eoge, and that 
from hence forth it shall be lawefull for the to Cant "—that is, to 
aske or begge — " for thy liuing in al places." Here you se that the 
vpright man is of great auctorite. For all sortes of beggers are 
obedient to his hests, and surmounteth all others in pylfring and 
stealinge. IT I lately had standinge in my [leaf s, back] well house, 
which standeth on the backeside of my house, a great cawdron of 
copper, beinge then full of water, hauinge in the same halfe a doson 



HARMAN. A HOKER, OR ANGGLEAR. 35 

of pewter dyshes, well marked, and stamped with the connizance of 
my amies, whiche being well noted when they were taken out, were 
set a side, the water powred out, and my caudren taken awaye, being 
of such bygnes that one man, vnlesse he were of great strength, was 
not able far to cary the same. Not withstandinge, the same was one 
night within this two yeares conuayed more then half a myle from 
my house, into a commen or heth, And ther bestowed in a great fir- 
bushc. I then immediatly the next day sent one of my men to 
London, and there gatxe warning in Sothwarke, kent strete, and 
Barmesey streete, to all the Tynckars there dwelling, — That if any 
such Caudron came thether to be sold, the bringar therof should be 
stayed, and promised twenty shyllings for a reward. I gaue also in- 
telligence to the water men that kept the ferres, that no such vessel 
should be ether conuayd to London or into essex, promysing the lyke 
reward, to haue vnderstanding therof. This my doing was well 
vnderstand in many places about, and that the feare of espyinge so 
troubled the conscience of the stealer, that my caudoren laye 
vntouched in the thicke firbushe more then halfe a ycare after, 
which, by a great chaunce, was found by hunteres for conneys ; for 
one chaunced to runne into the same bushc where my caudren was, 
and being perceaued, one thrust his stalfe into the same bushe, and 
hyt my caudren a great blowe, the sound whereof dyd cause the 
man to thinke and hope that there was some great treasure hidden, 
Avherby he thought to be the better whyle he lyued. And in farther 
searching he found my caudren ; so had I the same agayne vnloked 
for. 

H A IfOKER, OR ANGGLEAR. Cap. 3. 

THese hokers, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked 
knaues, and be deryued or procede forth from the vpright 
men ; they commenly go in frese ierkynes and gaily slopes, 
poynted benethe the kne ; these when they practise there pylfringe, 
it is all by night ; for, as they walke a day times from house to 
house, to demaund charite, they vigelantly marke where or in what 
place they maye attayne to there praye, casting there eyes vp to 
euery wyndow, well noting what they se their, whether apparell or 
linnen, hanginge nere vnto the sayde wyndowes, and that wyll they 



36 HARMAN. A HOKER. A ROGE. 

be sure to haue the next night folowing ; for they customably carry 
with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one 
ynch of the tope therof, ys a lytle hole bored through, Deaf 9] in 
which hole they putte an yron hoke, and. with the same they wyll 
pluck vnto them quickly any thing that they may reche ther with, 
which hoke in the day tyme they couertly cary about them, and is 
neuer sene or taken out till they come to the place where they worke 
there fete : such haue I sene at my house, and haue oft talked with 
them and haue handled ther staues, not then vnderstanding to what 
vse or intent they serued, although I hadde and perceiued, by there 
talke and behauiour, great lykelyhode of euyll suspition in them : 
they wyl ether leane vppon there staffe, to hyde the hole thereof, 
when they talke with you, or holde their hande vpon the hole ; and 
what stuffe, either wollen or lynnen, they thus hoke out, they neuer 
carye the same forth with to their staulyng kens, but hides the same 
a iij. daies in some secret corner, and after conuayes the same to their 
houses abouesaid, where their host or hostys geueth them money for 
the same, but halfe the value that it is worth, or els their doxes 
shall a farre of sell the same at the like houses. I was credebly in- 
formed that a hoker came to a farmers house in the ded of the night, 
and putting back a drawe window of a low chamber, the bed standing 
hard by the sayd wyndow, in which laye three parsones (a man and 
two bygge boyes), this hoker with his staffe plucked of their garments 
which lay vpon them to kepe them warme, with the couerlet and 
shete, and lefte them lying a slepe naked sauing there shertes, and 
had a way all clene, and neuer could vnderstande where it became. 
I verely suppose that when they wer wel waked with cold, they 
suerly thought that Eobin goodfelow (accordinge to the old saying) 
had bene with them that night. 

1T a roge. Cap. 4. 

ARoge is neither so stoute or hardy as the vpright man. 
Many of them will go fayntly and looke piteously when they 
see, either meete any person, hauing a kercher, as white as my 
shooes, tyed about their head, with a short staffe in their hand, 
haltinge, although they nede not, requiring almes of such as they 



HARMAN. A ROGE. 37 

meete, or to what house they shal coin. But you may easely per- 
ceiue by their colour thai thei cary both health and hipocrisie about 
them, wherby they get gaine, when others want that cannot fayne 
and dissemble. Others therebee that walke sturdely about the, couw- 
trey, and faineth to seke a brother or kinsman of his, dwelling 
within som part of the, shire ; — ether that he hath a letter to deliuer 
to som honest housholder, dwelling out of an other Shyre, and will 
she we you the same fayre sealed, with the superscription to Lieaf 9, back] 
the partye he speaketh of, because you shall not thinke him to runne 
idelly about the countrey ;■ — either haue they this shyfte, they wyll 
cary a cirtificate or pasport about them from som Iusticer of the 
peace, with his hand and seale vnto the same, ho we hee hath bene 
whipped and punished for a vacabonde according to the lawes of 
this realme, and that he m'uste returne to .T., where he was borne or 
last dwelt, by a certayne daye lymited in the same, whiche shalbe a 
good longe daye. And all this fayned, bycause without feare they 
woulde wyckedly wander, and wyll renue the same where or when it 
pleasethe them ; for they haue of their affinity that can wryte and 
read. These also wyll picke and steale as the vpright men, and hath 
their women and metinges at places apoynted, and nothinge to them 
inferiour in all kynde of knauery. There bee of these Roges 
Curtales, wearinge shorte clokes, that wyll chaunge their aparell, as 
occation seruethe. And their end is eyther hanginge, whiche they 
call trininge in their language, or die miserably of the pockes. 

H There was not long sithens two Roges that alwaies did associate 
them selues together, and would neuer seperat them selues, vnles it 
were for some especiall causes, for they were sworn brothers, and 
were both of one age, and much like of favour : these two, trauelinge 
into east kent, resorted vnto an ale house there, 1 being weried with 
traueling, saluting with short curtisey, when they came into the 
house, such as thei sawe sitting there, in whiche company was the 
parson of the parish ; and callinge for a pot of the best ale, sat downe 
at the tables ende : the lykor hiked them so well, that they had pot 
vpon pot, and sometyme, for a lytle good maner, would drinke and 
offer the cup to such as they best fancied ; and to be short, they sat 

1 1673 omits. 



38 HARMAN. A KOGB. 

out al the company, for eclie man departed liome aboute their 
busines. When they had well refreshed them selues, then these 
rowsy roges requested the good man of the house wyth his wyfe to 
sit downe and drinke with them, of whome they inquired what priest 
the same was, and where he dwelt : then they fayninge that they 
had an vncle a priest, and that he should dwel in these partes, which 
by all presumptions it should be he, and that they came of purpose 
to speake with hym, but because they had not sene hym sithens they 
were sixe yeares olde, they durst not be bold to take acquayntance 
of him vntyl they were farther instructed of the truth, and began to 
inquier of his name, and how longe he had dwelt there, and how 
farre his house was of from the place they were in : the good wyfe of 
the house, thynkinge them honest men without disceit, because they 
so farre enquyred of their kinseman, was but of a good zelous natur- 
all intent, shewed them cherefully that hee Deaf 10] was an honest 
man and welbeloued in the parish, and of good welth, and had ben 
there resident xv. years at the least ; " but," saith she, " are you both 
brothers 1 " " yea, surely," said they, " we haue bene both in one 
belly, and were twinnes." " Mercy, god ! " quoth this folish woman ; 
" it may wel be, for ye be not much vnlike," — and wente vnto her 
hall windowe, callinge these yong men vnto her, and loking out 
therat, 1 pointed with her fingar and shewed them the house stand- 
ing alone, no house nere the same by almoste a quarter of a myle ; 
"that," sayd 2 she, "is your vncles house." "Nay," saith one of 
them, " he is not onely my vncle, but also my godfather." " It may 
well be," quoth she, "nature wyll bind him to be the better vnto 
you." " "Well," quoth they, " we be weary, and meane not to trouble 
our vncle to-night ; but to-morowe, god willinge, we wyll see him 
and do our duty : but, I pray you, doth our vncle occupy husbandry 1 
what company hath he in his house." " Alas ! " saith she, " but one 
old woman and a boy, he hath no occupying at al : tushe," quoth 
this good wyfe, "you be mad men; go to him this night, for hee 
hath better lodging for you then I haue, and yet I speake folishly 
against my 3 own profit, for by your taring 4 here I should gaine tho 
more by you." " Now, by my troth," quoth one of them, " we thanke 
1 1573 omits. 2 saith. B. 3 1573, viyne 4 tarying. B. 



IIAItMAN. A ROGE. 39 

you, good hostes, for your holsomc councell, and \vc meane to do as 
you wyll vs : Ave wyl pause a whyle, and by that tymc it wylbe almost 
night ; and I praye you geue vs a reckeninge," — so, manerly paying 
for that they toke, bad their hoste and hostes farewell with takinge 
lcaue of the cup, marched merelye out of the dores towardes this 
parsones house, vewed the same well rounde about, and passed by 
two bowshotes of into a younge wodde, where they laye consultinge 
what they shoulde do vntyll midnight. Quoth one of them, of 
sharper wyt and sub ty Her then the cLher, to hys fellowe, "thou seest 
that this house is stone walled about, and that we cannot well breake 
in, in any parte thereof ; thou seest also that the windowes be thicke 
of mullions, that ther is no kreping in betwene : wherefore we must 
of necessytie vse some policye when strength wil not serue. I haue 
a horse locke here about me," saith he; "and this I hope shall serue 
oure turne." So when it was aboute xii. of the clocke, they came to 
the house and lurked nere vnto his chamber wyndowe : the dog of the 
house barked a good, that with they l noise, this priest waketk out 
of his sleepe, and began to cough and hem : then one of these roges 
stepes forth nerer the window and maketh a ruful and pityful noise, 
requiring for Christ sake 2 some relief e, that was both hongry and 
thirstye, and was like to ly with out the dores all nighte and starue 
for colde, vnles he were releued by him with some small pece of 
money. " Where dwellest thou 1 " quoth this parson. "Alas! sir," 
saithe this roge, " I haue smal fleaf 10, backj dwelling, and haue com out 
of my way ; and I should now," saith he, "go to any towne no we at 
this time of night, they woulde set me in the stockes and punishe 
me." "Well," quoth this pitifull parson, "away from my house, 
either lye in some of my out houses vntyll the morning, and holde, 
here is a couple of pence for thee." " A god rewarde you," quoth 
this roge ; " and in heauen may you finde it." The parson openeth 
his wyndowe, and thrusteth out his arme to geue his almes to this 
Roge that came whining to receiue it, and quickly taketh holde of his 
hand, and calleth his fellowe to him, whiche was redye at hande with 
the horse locke, and clappeth the same about the wrest of his arme, 
that the mullions standing so close together for strength, that for his 
1 So printed. Bodley ed. has the 3 sakes. B. 



40 HARMAN. A ROGE. 

life he could not plucke in his arme againe, and made him beleue, 
vnles he would at the least geue them .hi. li., they woulde smite of 
his arme from the body. So that this poore parson, in feare to lose 
his hand, called vp his olde woman that lay in the loft ouer him, 
and wylled her to take out all the money he had, which was iiij. 
markes, which he saide was all the money in his house, for he had 
lent vi. li. to one of his neighbours not iiij daies before. " Wei," 
quoth they, "master parson, if you haue no more, vpon this con- 
dicion we wil take of the locke, that you will drinke .xij. pence for 
our sakes to-morow at the alehouse wher we found you, and thank 
the good wife for the good chere she made vs." He promised faith- 
fully that he would so do ; so they toke of the locke, and went their 
way so farre ere it was daye, that the parson coulde neuer haue any 
vnderstanding more of them. Now this parson, sorowfully slumber- 
ing that night betwene feare and hope, thought it was but folly to 
make two sorrowes of one ; he vsed contentacion for his remedy, not 
forgetting in the morning to performe his promise, but went betims 
to his neighbour that kept tiplinge, and asked angerly where the 
same two men were that dranke with her yester daye. " Which two 
men 1 " quoth this good wife. " The straungers that came in when I 
was at your house wyth my neighbores yesterday." "What ! your 
neuewes 1 " quoth she. " My neuewes 1 " quoth this parson ; " I 
trowe thou art mad." " Nay, by god ! " quoth this good x wife, " as 
sober as you ; for they tolde me faithfully that you were their vncle : 
but, in fayth, are you not so in dede ? for, by my trouth, they are 
strau[n]gers to me. I neuer saw them before." " 0, out vpon 
them!" quoth the parson; "they be false theues, and this night 
thei compelled me to geue them al the money in my house." 
" Benedicite ! " quoth this good wife, " and haue they so in dede 1 as 
I shall aunswere before god, one of them told me besides that you 
were godfather to him, and that he trusted to haue your blessinge 
before he departed." "What! did he?" quoth this parson; "a 
halter blesse him for [leaf n] me ! " " Me thinketh, by the masse, by 
your countenance you loked so wildly when you came in," quoth 
this good wife, " that somthing was amis." " I vse not to gest," 
1 Omitted in 1573. 



HARMAN. A WYLDE ROGE. 41 

quoth this parson, " when I speake so earnestly." " Why, all your 
sorrowes goe with it," quoth this good wife, " and sitte downe here, 
and I will fil a freshe pot of ale shall make you mery agayne." 
"Yea," saith this parson, "fill in, and geue me some meat; for they 
made me sweare and promise them faithfully that I shoulde drinke 
xii. pence with you this day." "What! dyd they?" quoth she; 
" now, by the mary masse, they be mery knaues. I warraunt you they 
meane to bye no land with your money ; but how could they come 
into you in the night, your dores being shut fast 1 your house is 
very stronge." Then this prason 1 shewed her all the hole circum- 
stance, how he gaue them his almes oute at the wyndowe, they 2 
made such lamentable crye that it pytied him at the hart ; for he 
sawe but one when he put oute his hand at the windowe. " Be 
ruled by me," quoth this good wyfe. " Wherin 1 " quoth this parson. 
" By my troth, neuer speake more of it : when they shal vnderstand 
of it in the parish, they wyll but laugh you to skorne." 3 " Why, 
then," quoth this parson, " the deuyll goe with it," — and their an 
end. 3 

IT A WYLDE ROGE. Cap. 5. 

A Wilde Roge is he that is borne a Roge : he is a more subtil 
and more geuen by nature to all kinde of knauery then the 
other, as beastely begotten in barne or bushes, and from his 
infancye traded vp in trechery; yea, and before ripenes of yeares 
doth permyt, wallowinge in lewde lechery, but that is counted 
amongest them no sin. For this is their custome, that when they 
mete in barne at night, euery one getteth a make 4 to lye wythall, 
and their chaunce to be twentye in a company e, as their is sometyme 
more and sometyme lesse : for to one man that goeth abroad, there 
are at the least two women, which neuer make it straunge when they 
be called, although she neuer knewe him before. Then when the 
day doth appeare, lie rouses him vp, and shakes his eares, and awaye 
wanderinge where he may gette oughte to the hurte of others. Yet 
before he skyppeth oute of hys couche and departeth from his 
darling, if he like her well, he will apoint her where to mete shortlye 

1 so printed. 2 the. B 

" -l Why end. B. omits. 4 1573 n>ads mate 



42 HARMAN. A PRYGGER OP PRAUNCERS. 

after, with a warninge to worke warely for some chetes, that their 
meting might he the merier. 

1T Not long sithens, a wild roge chaimced to mete a pore neigh- 
bour of mine, who for honesty and good natur surmou^teth many. 
This poore man, riding homeward from London, where he had made 
his market, this [leaf u, back] roge demaunded a peny for gods sake, 
to kepe him a true man. This simple man, beholding him wel, and 
sawe he was of taule personage Avith a good quarter staffe in his 
hand, it much pitied him, as he sayd, to se him want ; for he was 
well able to serue his prince in the wars. Thus, being moued with 
pytie, and l loked in his pursse to finde out a penye ; and in loking 
for the same, he plucked oute viii. shyllinges in whyte money, and 
raked therin to finde a single peny ; and at the last findinge one, 
doth offer the same to this wylde roge : but he, seinge so much mony 
in this simple mans hand, being striken to the hart with a couetous 
desire, bid him forth wyth delyuer al that he had, or els he woulde 
with his staffe beat out his braynes. For it was not a penye would 
now quench his thirst, 2 seing so much as he dyd 2 : thus, swallowinge 
his spittell gredely downe, spoyled this poore man of al the money 
that be had, and lept ouer the hedge into a thicke wode, and went 
his waye as merely as this good simple man came home sorowfully. 
I once rehuking a wyld roge because he went idelly about, he 
shewed me that he was a begger by enheritance — his Grandfather 
was a begger, his father was one, and he must nodes be one by good 
reason. 

1F A PRYGGER OF PRAUNCERS. Cap. 6. 

APrigger of Prauncers be horse stealers ; for to prigge signifieth 
in their language to steale, and a Prauncer is a horse : so 
beinge put together, the matter is 3 playne. These go com- 
monly in Ierkins of leatherr, or of white frese, and carry litle wands 
in their hands, and will walke through grounds and pastures, to 
search and se horses meete for their purpose. And if thei chaurcce 
to be met and asked by the owners of the grounde what they make 
there, they fayne strayghte that they haue loste their waye, and de- 

1 omitted in 1573. 
* -2 seing dyd. B. omits. 3 1573, was 



II ARM AN. A TRYGGER OF PRAUNCERS. 43 

syre to be enstructed the bestc waye to such a place. These "will 
also repayre to gentlemens houses and aske their charitye, and Avyll 
oiler their scruice. And if you aske them what they can do, they 
wyll saye that they can kope two or thre Geldinges, and waite vppon 
a Gentleman. These haue also their women, that walkinge from 
them in other places, marke where and what they see abroade, and 
sheweth these Priggars therof when they meete, which is Avith in a 
weeke or two. And loke, where they steale any thinge, they conuay 
the same at the least thre score miles of or more. 

IF There was a Gentleman, a verye friende of myne, rydyng from 
London homewarde into Kente, hauinge with in three myles of his 
house busynesse, alyghted of his horse, and his man also, in a prctye 
[leaf 12] vyllage, where diueres houses were, and looked aboute hym 
where he myghte haue a conuenient person to walke his horse, be- 
cause hee would speake with a Farmer that dwelt on the backe side 
of the sayde village, lytle aboue a quarter of a myle from the place 
where he lighted, and had his man to Avaight vpon him, as it Avas 
mete for his callinge : espying a Pryggar there standing, thinking the 
same tc dAvell there, charging this prity prigginge person to Avalke 
his horse Avell, and that they might not stande styll for takyng of 
colde, and at his returne (Avhich he saide should not be longe) he 
Avould geue hym a peny to drinke, and so Avente aboute his busines. 
This peltynge Priggar, proude of his praye, walkethe his horse 1 vp 
and doAvne tyll he saAve the Gentleman out of sighte, and leapes him 
into the saddell, and aAvaye he goeth a mayne. This Gentleman re- 
turninge, and findinge not his horses, sent his man to the one end of 
the vyllage, and he went himselfe vnto the other ende, and enquired 
as he Avent for his horses that Avere walked, and began some Avhat to 
suspecte, because neither he nor his man could se nor find him. 
Then this Gentleman deligentlye enquired of thre or foure towne 
dwellers there whether any such person, declaring his stature, 2 age, 
apparell, Avith so many linaments of his body as he could call to 
remembraunce. And, " vna voce," all sayde that no such man dAvelt 
in their streate, neither in the parish, that they kneAve of ; but some 
did Avel remember that such a one they saw there lyrkinge and hug- 
1 horses. B. 2 Printed statute 



44 HARM AN. A PALLY ARD. 

geringe two houres before the Gentleman came thether, and a 
straunger to them. " I had thoughte," quoth this Gentleman, " he 
had here dwelled," — and marched home manerly in his botes : farre 
from the place he dwelt not. I suppose at his comming home he 
sente suche wayes as he suspected or thought meete to searche for 
this Prigger, but hetherto he neuer harde any tydinges agayne of his 
palfreys. — I had the best geldinge stolen oute of my pasture that I 
had amongst others whyle this boke was first a printinge. 

IT A PALLYARD. Cap. 7. 

THese Palliardes be called also Clapperdogens : these go with 
patched clokes, and haue their Morts with them, which they 
cal wiues ; and if he goe to one house, to aske his almes, his 
wife shall goe to a nother : for what they get (as bread, cheese, 
malte, and woll) they sell the same for redy money ; for so they get 
more and if they went together. Although they be thus 1 deuided 
in the daie, yet they mete iompe at night. Yf they chaunce to come 
to some gentylmans house standinge Deaf 12, back] a lone, and be de- 
maunded whether they be man and wyfe, and if he perceaue that 
any doubteth thereof, he sheweth them a Testimonial with the minis- 
ters name, and others of the same parishe (naminge a parishe in some 
shere fare distant from the place where he sheweth the same). This 
writing he carieth to salue that sore. Ther be many Irishe men that goe 
about with couwterfeate licenses ; and if they perceiue you wil straytly 
examen them, they will immediatly saye they can speake no Englishe. 
IT Farther, vnderstand for trouth that the worst and wickedst of 
all this beastly generation are scarse comparable to these prating 
Pallyardes. All for the most parte of these wil either lay to their 
legs an herb called Sperewort, eyther Arsnicke, which is called 
Ratesbane. The nature of this Spereworte wyll rayse a great blister 
in a night vpon the soundest part of his body ; and if the same be 
taken away, it wyl dry vp againe and no harme. But this Ars- 
nicke will so poyson the same legge or sore, that it will euer after be 
incurable : this do they for gaine and to be pitied. The most of 
these that walke about be "Walchmen. 

1 Printed this 



IIARMAN. A FRATER. 45 

IT A FRATER. Cap. 8. 

SOme of these Fraters will cary blacke boxes at their gyrdel, 
wher in they haue a briefe of the Queenes maiesties letters 
patentes, geuen to suche 1 poore spitlehouse for the reliefe of 
the poore there, whiche briefe is a coppie of the letters patentes, and 
vtterly fained, if it be in paper or in* parchment without the great 
seale. Also, if the same brief be in printe, 3 it is also of auctoritie. 
For the Printers wil see and wel vnderstand, before it come in 
presse, that the same is lawfull. Also, I am credibly informed that 
the chiefe Proctors of manye of these houses, that seldome trauel 
abroad them selues, but haue their factors to gather for them, which 
looke very slenderly to the impotent and miserable creatures com- 
mitted to their charge, and die for want of cherishing ; wheras they 
and their wiues are wel crammed and clothed, and will haue of the 
best. And the founders of euery such house, or the chiefe of the 
parishe wher they be, woulde better see vnto these Proctors, that 
they might do their duty, they should be wel spoken of here, and in 
the world to come abouwdantly therefore rewarded. I had of late an 
honest man, and of good wealthe, repayred to my house to common 
wyth me aboute certeyne affaires. I inuited the same to dinner, and 
dinner beinge done, I demaunded of hym some newes of these 4 parties 
were hee dwelte. "Thankes be to God, syr," (saith he) ; "all is 
well and good now." "Now !" (quoth I) "this same 'nowe' [leaf is] 
declare th that some things of late hath not bene wel." " Yes, 
syr," (quoth he) " the 5 matter is not great. I had thought I should 
haue bene wel beaten within this seuenth night." "How so?" 
(quoth I). " Mary, syr," sayd he, " I am Counstable for fault of a 
better, and was commaunded by the Iusticer to Avatch. The watch 
being set, I toke an honest man, one of my neighbors, with me, and 
went vp to the ende of the towne as far as the spittle house, at 
which house I heard a great noyse, and, drawing nere, stode close 
vnder the wall, and this was at one of the clocke after midnight. 

1 B. inserts a 2 B. omits in 

* Probably the reason why "in print" came to be considered synonymous 
with "correct." See 2 Gent, of Verona, act ii. sc. 1, 175. 

* tlwse. B. 5 B. omits the 



46 HARMAN. A PRATER. 

Where he harde swearinge, pratinge, and wagers laying, and the pot 
apase walkinge, and xl. pence gaged vpon a matche of wrastling, 
pitching of the barre, and casting of the sledge. And out they goe, 
in a fustian fume, into the backe syde, where was a great Axiltrye, 1 
and there fell to pitching of the barre, being thre to thre. The 
Moone dyd shine bright, the Counstable with his neighboure myght 
see and beholde all that was done. And howe the wyfe of the 
house was rostinge of a Pyg, whyle her gestes were in their matche. 
At the laste they coulde not agree vpon a caste, and fell at wordes, 
and from wordes to blowes. The Counstable with his 2 fellowe 
runnes vnto them, to parte them, and in the partinge lyckes a drye 
blowe or two. Then the noyse increased ; the Counstable woulde 
haue had them to 3 the stockes. The wyfe of the house runnes out 
with her goodman to intreat the Counstable for her gestes, and 
leaues the Pyg at the fyre alone. In commeth two or three of the 
next neighboures, beinge waked wyth this noise, and into the house 
they come, and fynde none therein, but the Pygge well rosted, and 
carieth the same awaye wyth them, spyte and all, with suche breade 
and drinke also as stoode vpon the table. When the goodman and 
the goodwyfe of the house hadde intreated and pacified the Coun- 
stable, shewinge vnto him that they were Proctors and Factores all 
of Spyttell houses, and that they taryed there but to breake theyr 
fast, and woulde ryde awaye immediatelye after, for they had farre to 
goe, and therefore mente to ryde so earlye. And comminge into their 
house agayne, fyndinge the Pygge wyth bread and drincke all gonne, 
made a greate exclamation, for they knewe not who had the same. 

IT The Counstable returning and hearinge the lamentable wordes 
of the good wyfe, howe she had lost both meate and drinke, and 
sawe it was so in deede, hee laughed in his sleue, and commaunded 
her to dresse no more at vnlawfull houres for any gestes. For hee 
thought it better bestowed vppon those smell feastes his poore neigh- 

1 Castynge of axtre & eke of ston, 
Sofere hem J?ere to vse non ; 
Bal, and barres, and suche play, 
Out of chychejorde put a-way. — 

Myrc, p. 11, 1. 334-7 (E. E. T. Soc. 1868) 
1 Printed Ms a to to. B. 



HARMAN. A ABRAHAM MAN. 47 

boures then vppon suche sturdye Lubbares. The nexte mornynge 
betymes the [leaf 13, back] spitte and pottes were sette at the Spittle 
house doore for the owner. Thus were these Factours begyled 
of theyr breakefast, and one of them hadde well beaten an other ; 
" And, by my trouth," (quoth thys Counstable) " I was gladde when 
I was well ryd of them." " Why," quoth I, " coulde the[y] caste 
the barre and sledge well V "I wyll tell you, syr," (quoth bee) 
"you knowe there hath bene manye games this Sommer. I think e 
verely, that if some of these Lubbars had bene there, and practysed 
amongest others, I beleue they woulde haue carryed awaye the beste 
games. For they were so stronge and sturdye, that I was not able to 
stande in their handes." "Well" (quoth I) "at these games you 
speake of, both legges and armes bee tryed." "Yea," quoth this 
offycer, " they bee wycked men. I haue seene some of them sithens 
wyth cloutes bounde aboute theyr legges, and haltynge wyth their 
staffe in their handes. Wherefore some of theym, by GOD, bee 
nought all." 

1F A ABRAHAM MAN. Cap. 9. 

THese Abrahom men be those that fayne themselues to haue 
beene mad, and haue bene kept eyther in Bethelem or in 
some other pryson a good tyme, and not one amongst twenty 
that euer came in pryson for any such cause : yet wyll they saye 
howe pitiously and most extreamely they haue bene beaten, and 
dealt with all. Some of these be merye and verye pleasant, they 
wyll daunce and sing ; some others be as colde and reasonable to 
talke wyth all. These begge money ; eyther when they come at 
Farmours howses they wyll demaunde Baken, eyther cheese, or 
wooll, or any thinge that is worthe money. And if they espye small 
company within, they wyll Avith fierce countenauwce demawid some 
what. Where for feare the maydes wyll geue theym largely to be 
ryd of theym. 

( IT If they maye conuenyently come by any cheate, they wyl 

( picke and steale, as the v[p]right man or Roge, poultrey or 

lynnen. And all wemen that wander bee at their commaunde- 

mente. Of all that euer I saw of this kynde, one naminge him 

selfe Stradlynge is the craftiest and moste dyssemblyngest Knaue. 



48 HARMAN. A WHIPIACKE. 

Hee is able wyth hys tounge and vsage to deceaue and abuse the 
wysest man that is. And surely for the proporcion of his body, 
with euery member there vnto appertayninge, it cannot be a mended. 
But as the prouerbe is " God hath done his part." Thys Stradlyng 
sayth he was the Lord Sturtons man ; and when he was executed, 
for very pensiuenes of mynde, [leaf u] he fell out of his wytte, and 
so continued a yeare after and more ; and that with the very greefe 
and feare, he was taken wyth a marueilous palsey, that both head 
and handes wyll shake when he talketh, with anye and that a pase 
or fast, where by he is much pytied, and getteth greately. And if 
I had not demaunded of others, bothe men and women, that com- 
monly walketh as he doth, and knowen by them his deepe dis- 
simylation, I neuer hadde vnderstand the same. And thus I end 
wyth these kynde of vacabondes. 

IT A FRESHE WATER MARINER OR WHIPIACKE. Cap. 10. 

rppfese Freshwater Mariners, their shipes were drowned in the 
*■ playne of Salisbery. These kynde of Caterpillers counterfet 
great losses on the sea ; these bee some Western men, and most bee 
Irishe men. These wyll runne about the countrey wyth a counterfet 
lycence, fayninge either shypwracke, or spoyled by Pyrates, neare 
the coaste of Cornwall or Deuonshyre, and set a lande at some hauen 
towne there, hauynge a large and formall wrytinge, as is aboue sayd, 
with the names and seales of suche men of worshyppe, at the leaste 
foure or fiue, as dwelleth neare or next to the place where they fayne 
their landinge. And neare to those shieres wyll they not begge, 
vntyll they come into Wylshyre, Hamshyre, Barkeshyre, Oxford- 
shyre, Harfordshyre, Middelsex, and so x to London, and downe by 
the ryuer to s6eke for their shyppe and goods that they neuer hade : 
then passe they through Surrey, Sossex, by the sea costes, and so 
into Kent, demaunding almes to bring them home to their country. 
% Some tyme they counterfet the seale of the Admiraltie. I 
haue diuers tymes taken a waye from them their lycences, of both 
sortes, wyth suche money as they haue gathered, and haue confiscated 
the same to the pouerty nigh adioyninge to me. And they wyll not 
1 Omitted in 1573. 



HARMAN. A WHIPIACKE. 49 

beelonge with, out another. For at anye good towne they wyll 
renewe the same. Once wyth muche threatninge and faire promises, 
I required to knowe of one companye who made their lycence. And 
they sweare that they bought the same at Portsmouth, of a Mariner 
there, and it cost them 1 two shillinges ; with such warrantes to be so 
good and efectuall, that if any of the best men of lawe, or learned, 
aboute London, should peruse the same, they weare able to fynde no 
faute there with, but would assuredly allow the same. 

him (sic). B. 



50 HAKMAN. N. BLUNT, N. GENYNGES. 

[leaf 14, back] 1 




These two pyctures, lyuely set out, 
One bodye and soule, god send him more grace. 

This mounstrous desembelar, a Cranke all about. 
Vncomly couetinge, of eche to imbrace, 

Money or wares, as he made his race. 
And sometyme a marynar, and a saruinge man, 

Or els an artificer, as he would fayne than. 
Such shyftes he vsed, beinge well tryed, 

A bandoninge labour, tyll he was espyed. 
Conding punishment, for his dissimulation, 

He sewerly receaued with much declination 2 



This page is not in Bodley ed. 



2 1573 reads exclamation 



IIARMAN. A COUNTERPET CRANKE. 51 

[leaf 15] IT A COUNTERFET CRANKE. Cap. 11. 

THese tliat do counterfet the Cranke be yong knaues and 
yonge harlots, tliat depely dissemble the falling sicknes. For 
the Cranke in their language is the falling euyll. I haue 
scene some of these with fayre writinges testimonial^ with the 
names and scales of some men of worshyp in Shropshyre, and in 
other Shiercs farre of, that I haue well knowne, and haue taken the 
same from them. Many of these do go without writinges, and wyll 
go halfe naked, and looke most pitiously. And if any clothes be 
geuen them, the[y] x immediatly sell the same, for weare it they wyll 
not, because they would bee the more pitied, and weare fylthy clothes 
on their heades, and neuer go without a peece of whyte sope about 
them, which, if they see cause or present gaine, they wyll priuely 
conuey the same into their mouth, and so worke the same there, 
that they wyll fome as it were a Boore, and maruelously for a tyme 
torment them selues ; and thus deceiue they the common people, and 
gayne much. These haue commonly their harlots as the other. 

Apon Alhollenday in the morning last Anno domini. 15GG, or 
my 2 booke was halfe printed, I meane the first impression, there came 
earely in the morninge a Counterfet Cranke vnder my lodgynge at the 
whyte Fry ares, wythin the cloyster, in a lyttle yard or coorte, where 
aboutes laye two or thre great Ladyes, beyng without the lyberties of 
London, where by he hoped for the greatter gayne ; this Cranke there 
lamentably lamentinge and pitefully crying to be releued, declared to 
dyuers their hys paynfull and miserable dysease. I being rysen 
and not halfe ready, harde his dolfull wordes and rufull mornings, 
hering him name the falling sicknes, thought assuredlye to my selfe 
that hee was a depe desemblar ; so, comminge out at a sodayne, and 
beholdinge his vgly and yrksome attyre, hys lothsome and horyble 
countinance, it made me in a meruelous parplexite what to thinke of 
hym, whether it were fayned or trouth, — for after this manner went 
he : he was naked from the wast vpward, sauyng he had a old 
Ierken 3 of leather patched, and that was lose 4 about hym, that all 
his bodye laye out bare ; a fdthy foule cloth he ware on his head, 
1 tliey. B. 2 my my. B. s gyrlten (et seyq.). B. 4 loose. B. 



52 HARMAN. A COUNTERFET CRANKE. 

being cut for the purpose, hauing a narowe place to put out his face, 
with a bauer made to trusse vp his beard, and a stryng that tyed the 
same downe close aboute his necke ; with an olde felt hat which he 
styll caried in his hande to receaue the charytye and deuotion of the 
people, for that woulde he hold out from hym ; hauyng hys face, 
from the eyes downe ward, all smerd with freshe bloud, Deaf 15, back] 
as thoughe he had new falen, and byn tormented wyth his paynefull 
panges, — his Ierken beinge all be rayde with durte and myre, and 
hys hatte and hosen also, as thoughe hee hadde wallowed in the 
myre : sewerly the sighte was monstrous and terreble. I called hym 
vnto me, and demaunded of hym what he ayled. " A, good mais- 
ter," quoth he, " I haue the greuous and paynefull dyseas called the 
falynge syckenes." " Why," quoth I, " howe commeth thy Ierken, 
hose, and hat so be rayd with durte and myre, and thy skyn also 1 " 
" A, good master, I fell downe on the backesyde here in the fowle 
lane harde by the watersyde ; and there I laye all most all night, 
and haue bled all most all the bloude owte in my bodye." It raynde 
that morninge very fast ; and whyle I was thus talkinge with hym, a 
honest poore woman that dwelt thereby brought hym a fayre lynnen 
cloth, and byd hym wype his face there wyth ; and there beinge a tobbe 
standing full of rayne water, offered to geue hym some in a dishe 
that he might make hym selfe cleans : hee refuseth l the same. 
" Why dost thou so ?" quoth I. " A, syr," sayth he, " yf I shoulde 
washe my selfe, I shoulde fall to bleedinge a freshe againe, and then 
I should not stop my selfe : " these wordes made me the more to 
suspecte hym. 

Then I asked of hym where he was borne, what is name was, 
how longe he had this dysease, and what tyme he had ben here 
about London, and in what place. " Syr," saythe he, " I was borne 
at Leycestar, my name is Nycholas Genings, 2 and I haue had this 
falling sycknes viij. yeares, and I can get no remedy for the same; 
for I haue it by kinde, my father had it and my friendes before me ; 
and I haue byne these two yeares here about London, and a yeare 
and a halfe in bethelein." " Why, wast thou out of thy wyttes ? " 
quoth I. " Ye, syr, that I was." 

1 refused. B. * Gennins. B. 



HARM AN. A COUNTERFBT ORANKB. 53 

"What is the Kepars name of the house?" " Hys name is," 
quoth hee, " Iohn Smith." " Then," quoth I, " hee must vnder- 
stande of thy dysease ; yf thou hadest the same for the tyme thou 
wast there, he knoweth it well." " Ye, not onely he, but all the 
house bee syde," quoth this Cranke ; " for I came thens but within 
this fortnight." I had stande so longe reasoning the matter wyth 
him that I was a cold, and went into my chamber and made mc 
ready, and commaunded my seruant to repayre to bethelem, and 
bringe me true worde from the keper there whether anye suche man 
hath byn with him as a prisoner hauinge the dysease aforesayd, and 
gaue hym a note of his name and the kepars also : my seruant, 
retorninge to my lodginge, dyd assure me that neither was there 
euer anye such man there, nether yet anye keper of any suche 
name ; but hee that was there keper, he sent me hys name in writ- 
ing, afferming that hee letteth no man depart from hym vnlesse he be 
fet a waye by [leaf 16] hys freendes, and that none that came from 
hym beggeth aboute the Citye. Then I sent for the Printar of this 
booke, and shewed hym of this dyssembling Cranke, and how I had 
sent to Bethelem to vnderstand the trouth', and what aunsweare 1 
receaued againe, requiringe hym that I might haue some seruant 
of his to watche him faithfully that daye, that I might vnder- 
stand trustely to what place he woulde repaire at night vnto, and 
thether I promised to goe my selfe to see their order, and that I 
woulde haue hym to associate me thether : hee gladly graunted to 
my request, and sent two boyes, that both diligently and vygelantly 
accomplisht the charge geuen them, and found the same Cranke 
aboute the Temple, where about the most parte of the daye hee 
begged, vnlesse it weare about xii. of the clocke he wente on the 
backesyde of Clementes Ine without Temple barre : there is a lane 
that goeth into the Feldes ; there hee renewed his face againe wyth 
freshe bloud, winch he caried about hym in a bladder, and dawbed 
on freshe dyrte vpon his Ierken, hat, and boson. 

51 And so came backe agayne vnto the Temple, and sometyme to 
the Watersyde, and begged of all that passed bye : the boyes be- 
helde howe some gaue grotes, some syxe pens, some gaue more ; 

1 trough. B. 



54 harm an. a countbrfet cranke. 

for hee looked so ougleie and yrksomlye, that euerye one pytied his 
miserable case that beehelde hym. To bee shorte, there he passed all 
the daye tyll night approched ; and when it began to bee some what 
dark, he went to the water syde and toke a Sk oiler, 1 and was sette 
ouer the Water into Saincte Georges feldes, contrarye to my expect- 
atian ; for I had thought he woulde haue gonne into Holborne or to 
Saynt Gylles in the felde ; but these boyes, with Argues and Lynces 
eyes, set sewre watche vppon him, and the one tooke a bote and fol- 
lowed him, and the other went backe to tell his maister. 

The boye that so folowed hym by "Water, had no money to pay 
for his Bote hyre, but layde his Penner and his Ynkhorne to gage 
for a penny ; and by that tyme the boye was sette ouer, his Maister, 
wyth all celeryte, hadde taken a Bote and followed hym apase : now 
hadde they styll a syght of the Cranke, wych crossed ouer the 
felddes towardes Newyngton, and thether he went, and by that tyme 
they came thether it was very darke : the Prynter hadde there no 
acquaintance, nether any kynde of weapon about hym, nether knewe 
he 2 how farre the Cranke woulde goe, becawse hee then suspected 
that they dogged hym of purposse ; he there stayed hym, and called 
for the Counstable, whyche came forthe dylygentelye to inquyre what 
the matter was : thys zelous Pryntar charged thys offycer [leaf ie, back] 
wyth hym as a malefactor and a dessemblinge vagabonde — the 
Counstable woulde haue layde him all night in the Cage that stode in 
the streate. " JSTaye," saythe this pitifull Prynter, " I praye you haue 
him into your house ; for this is lyke to be a cold nyght, and he is 
naked : you kepe a vytellinge house ; let him be well cherished this 
night, for he is well hable to paye for the same. I knowe well his 
gaynes hath byn great to day, and your house is a sufficient pryson for 
the tyme, and we wil there serche hym. The Counstable agreed 
there vnto : they had him in, and caused him to washe him selfe : 
that donne, they demaunded what money he had about hym. Sayth 
this Cranke, " So God helpe me, I haue but xii. pence," and plucked 
oute the same of a lytle pursse. " Why, haue you no more 1 " 
quoth they. " No," sayth this Cranke, " as God shall saue my 
soule at the day of iudgement." "We must se more," quoth they, 
1 1573 reads skolloer 2 Omitted in 1573 edit. 



HARMAN. A COUNTERFET CRANKE. 55 

and began to stryp hym. Then ho plucked, out a notlier purse, 
wherin was xl. pens. " Toushe," sayth 1 thys Prynter, "I must see 
more." Saytlie this Cranke, " I pray God I bee dampned both body 2 
and soule yf I haue anye more." " No," sayth thys Prynter, " thou 
false knaue, here is my boye that dyd watche thee all this daye, and 
sawe when such men gaue the pdeses of sixe pens, grotes, and other 
money ; and yet thou hast shewed vs none but small money." 
When thys Cranke hard this, and the boye vowinge it to his face, 
he relented, and plucked out another pursse, where in was eyght 
shyllings and od money ; so had they in the hole that he had 
begged that day xiij. shillings iii. 3 pens halfepeny 3 . Then they 
strypt him starke naked, and as many as sawe him sayd they neuer 
sawe hansommer man, wyth a yellowe flexen beard 4 , and fayre 
skynned, withoute anye spot or greffe. Then the good wyfe of the 
house fet her goodmans 5 olde clocke, and caused the same to be 
cast about him, because the sight shoulde not abash her shamefast 
maydens, nether loth her squaymysh sight. 

( Thus he set 6 downe at the Chemnes end, and called for a 
( potte of Beere, and dranke of a quarte at a draft, and 
called for another, and so the thyrde, that one had bene sufficient 
for any resonable man, the Drynke was so stronge. 7 I my selfe, 
the next morninge, tasted thereof; but let the reader iudge what 
and howe much he would haue dronke and he had bene out of 
feare. Then when they had thus wrong water out of a flint in 
spoyling him of his euyl gotten goods, his passing pens 8 , and fiet- 
ing trashe, The printer Avith this offecer were in gealy gealowsit 9 , 
and deuised to search a barne for some roges and vpright men, a 
quarter of a myle from the house, that stode a lone in the fieldes, 
and wente out about their busines, leauing this cranke alone with 
his wyfe and maydens : this crafty Cranke, espying al gon, requested 
the good wife that [leaf 17] hee might goe out on the backesyde to 
make water, and to exonerate his paunche : she bad hym drawe the 
lache of the dore and goe out, neither thinkinge or mistrusting he 

1 sayih (sic). B. " printed dody s-3 d. nb. B. 4 bede. B. 

5 mans. B. 6 1573 inserts him ; sctte hym. B. 7 1573 inserts that 
8 pence. B. 9 The 1573 edition reads ioly ioylitie; gelvwsy. B. 



56 HARMAN. A COUNTERFET CRANKE. 

would haue gon awaye naked ; but, to conclude, when hee was out, 
he cast awaye the cloke, and, as naked as euer he was borne, he ran 
away, ' that he could 2 neuer be hard of 3 againe. l JSTow 3 the next 
morning betimes, I went vnto JSewington, to vnderstawd what was 
done, because I had word or it was day that there my printer was ; 
and at my comming thether, I hard the hole circumstaunce, as I 
aboue haue wrytten ; and I, seing the matter so fall out, tooke 
order with the chiefe of the parish that this xiij. shyllings and 
iij. 4 pens halfpeny 4 might the next daye be equally distributed, by 
their good discrecions, to the pouertie of the same parishe, 5 and so it 
was done. 

1 The 1573 edition finishes the sentence thus : — " ouer the fields to his own 
house, as hee afterwards said." 

2 woulde. B. 3 ~ 3 again til now. B. 4_4 d. ob. B. 

5 The 1573 edition continues thus : — " wherof this crafty Cranke had part 
him selfe, for he had both house and wife in the same parishe, as after you 
shall heare. But this lewde lewterar could not laye his bones to labour, hauing 
got once the tast of this lewd lasy lyfe, for al this fayr admonition, but de- 
uised other suttel sleights to maintaine his ydell liuing, and so craf tely clothed 
him selfe in mariners apparel, and associated him self with an other of his 
companions : they hauing both mariners apparel, went abroad to aske charity 
of the people, fayning they hadde loste their shippe with all their goods by 
casualty on the seas, wherewith they gayned much. This crafty Cranke, 
f earinge to be mistrusted, fell to another kinde of begging, as bad or worse, and 
apparelled himself e very well with a f ayre black f reese cote, a new payre of 
whyte hose, a fyne felt hat on his head, a shert of flaunders worke esteemed to 
be worth xvi. shillings ; and vpon newe yeares day came againe into the whyt 
Fryers to beg : the printer, hauing occasion to go that ways, not thinking of 
this Cranke, by chaunce met with him, who asked his charitie for Gods sake. 
The printer, vewing him well, did mistrust him to be the counterfet Cranke 
which deceuied him vpon Alhollen daye at night, demaunded of whence he was 
and what was his name, ' Forsoth,' saith he, ' my name is Nicolas Genings, 
and I came from Lecester to seeke worke, and I am a hat-maker by my occu- 
pation, and all my money is spent, and if I coulde get money to paye for my 
lodging this night, I would seke work to rnorowe amongst the hatters.' The 
printer perceiuing his depe dissimulation, putting his hand into his purse, seem- 
ing to giue him some money, and with fayre allusions brought him into the 
streete, where he charged the constable with him, affirminge him to be the 
counterfet Cranke that ranne away vpon Alholon daye last. The constable 
being very loth to medle with him, but the printer knowing him and his depe 
disceit, desyred he mought be brought before the debutie of the ward, which 
straight was accomplished, which where he came before the debuty, he de- 
maunded of him of whence he was and what was his name ; he answered as 
before he did vnto the printer : the debutie asked the printer what he woulde 
laye vnto hys charge ; he answered and aleged him to be a vagabond and depe 
deceyuer of the people, and the counterfet Crank that ran away vpon Al- 
hallon day last from the constable of Newington and him, and requested him 
earnestly to send him to ward : the debuty thinking him to be deceiued, but 



HARMAN. A DOMMERAR. 57 

IT A DOMMERAR. Cap. 12. 

THese Domnierars are leud and most subtyll people : the moste 
part of these are Walch men, and wyll neuer speake, vnlesse 
they haue extreame punishment, but wyll gape, and with a 
maruelous force wyll hold downe their toungs doubled, groning for 
your charyty, and holding vp their handes Ml pitiously, so that with 
their deepe dissimulation they get very much. There are of these 
many, and but one that I vnderstand of hath lost his toung in dede. 
Hauing on a time occasion to ride to Dartforde, to speake with a 
priest there, who maketh all kinde of conserues very well, and vseth 
stilling of waters ; And repayringe to his house, I founde a Dom- 
merar at his doore, and the priest him selfe perusinge his 1 lycence, 
vnder the seales and hands of certayne worshypfull men, had 2 thought 
the same to be good and effectuall. I taking the same writing, and 

neuerthelesse laid his cowmaundenieut vpon kirn, so that the printer should 
beare his charges if he could not iustifie it ; he agreed thereunto. And so he 
and the constable went to cary him to the Counter ; and as they were going 
vnder Ludgate, this crafty Cranke toke his heeles and ran down the hill as fast 
as he could dryve, the constable and the printer after him as fast as they 
coulde ; but the printer of the twayn being lighter of fote, ouertoke him at 
fleete bridge, and with strong hand caried him to the counter, and safely deli- 
uered him. In the morow the printer sent his boy that stripped him vpon Al- 
halon day at night to view him, because he would be sure, which boy knew him 
very well : this Crank confessed unto the debuty, that he had hosted the night 
before in Kent street in Southwarke, at the sign of the Cock, which thing to be 
true, the printer sente to know, and found him a Iyer ; but further inquiring, 
at length found out his habitation, dwelling in maister Hilles rentes, hauinge 
a pretye house, well stuffed, with a fayre ioyne table, and a fayre cubbard 
garnished with peuter, hauing an old auncient woman to his wyfe. The printer 
being sure therof, repaired vnto the Counter, and rebuked him for his beastly 
behaviour, and told him of his false fayning, willed him to confesse it, and 
aske forgivenes : he perceyued him to know his depe dissimulation, relented, 
and confessed all his disceit ; and so remayning in the counter three dayes, 
was removed to Brydwel, where he was strypt starke naked, and his ougly 
attyre put vpo?t him before the maisters thereof, who wondered greatly at his 
dissimulation : for which offence he stode vpon the pillery in Cheapsyde, both 
in his ougly and handsome attyre. And after that went in the myll whyle his 
ougly picture was a drawing ; and then was whypped at a cartes tayle through 
London, and his displayd banner caried before him vnto his own dore, and so 
backe to Brydewell again, and there remayned for a tyme, and at length let 
at libertie, on that condicion. he would proue an houest man, and labour truly 
to get his liuing. And his picture remayneth in Bridewell for a monyment." 
— See, also, post, p. 89. 

1 of his. B. 2 which priest had. B. 



58 HARM AN. A DOMMERAR. 

reading it ouer. and noting the seales, founde one of the seales like 
vnto a seale that I had ahoute me, which seale I bought besides 
Charing crosse, that I Avas out of doubte it was none of those Gen- 
tlemens seales that had sub[s]cribed. And hauing vnderstanding 
before of their peuish practises, made me to conceaue that all was 
forged and nought. I made the more hast home ; for well I wyst 
that he would and must of force passe through the parysh where I 
dwelt ; for there was no other waye for hym. And comminge home- 
warde, I found them in the towne, accordinge to my expectation, 
where they were staid ; for there was a Pallyarde associate with the 
Dommerar and partaker of his gaynes, whyche Pallyarde I sawe not 
at Dartford. The stayers of them was a gentleman called x Chayne, 
and a seruant of my Lord Keepers, cald Wostestowe, which was 
[leaf 17, back] the chiefe causer of the staying of them, being a Surgien, 
and cunning in his science, had seene the lyke practises, and, as he 
sayde, hadde caused one to speake afore that was dome 2 . It was my 
chaunce to come at the begynning of the matter. " Syr," (quoth 
this Surgien) " I am bold here to vtter some part of my cunning. 
I trust" (quoth he) " you shall se a myracle wrought anon. For I 
once " (quoth he) " made a dumme man to speake." Quoth I, "you 
are wel met, and somwhat you haue preuented me ; for I had 
thought to haue done no lesse or they hadde passed this towne. 
For I well knowe their writing is fayned, and they depe dissem- 
blers." The Surgien made hym gape, and we could see but halfe 
a toung. I required the Surgien to put hys fynger in his mouth, 
and to pull out his toung, and so he dyd, not withstanding he held 
strongly a prety whyle ; at the length he pluckt out the same, to the 
great admiration of many that stode by. Yet when we sawe his 
tounge, hee would neither speake nor yet could heare. Quoth I to 
the Surgien, " knit two of his fyngers to gether, and thrust a sty eke 
betwene them, and rubbe the same vp and downe a lytle whyle, and 
for my lyfe hee speaketh by and by." " Sir," quoth this Surgien, 
" 1 praye you let me practise and 3 other waye." I was well contented 
to see the same. He had him into a house, and tyed a halter aboute 
the wrestes of his handes, and hoysed him vp ouer a beame, and 
1 cal- {sic). B. 2 dumme. B. 3 So printed, an. B. 



HARMAN. A PRYGGE. 59 

then; dyd let him hang a good, while : at the, length, for very paine 
he required for Gods sake to let him down. So he that was both 
deafe and dame coulde in short tyme both heare and speake. Then 
I tooke that money I could find in his pursse, and distributed the 
same to the poore people dwelling there, whiche was xv. pence halfe- 
peny, being all that we coulde finde. That done, and this merry 
myracle madly made, I sent them with my seruaunt to the next 
Iusticer, where they preached on the Pyllery for want of a Pulpet, 
and were well whypped, and none dyd bewayle them. 

IF A DRONKEN TINCKAR. Cap. 13. 

THese dronken Tynckers, called also Prygges, be beastly peo- 
ple, and these yong knaues be the wurst. These neuer go 
with out their Doxes, and yf their women haue anye thing 
about them, as apparell or lynnen, that is worth the selling, they 
laye the same to gage, or sell it out right, for bene bowse at their 
bowsing ken. And full sone wyll they bee wearye of them, and 
haue a newe. When they happen one woorke at any good house, 
their Doxes lynger alofe, and tarry for them in some corner ; and yf 
he taryeth longe from her, then she knoweth [leans] he hath worke, 
and walketh neare, and sitteth downe by him. For besydes money, 
he looketh for meate and drinke for doinge his dame pleasure. For 
yf she haue three or foure holes in a pan, hee wyll make as many 
more for spedy gaine. And if he se any old ketle, chafer, or pewter 
dish abroad in the yard where he worketh, hee quicklye snappeth 
the same vp, and in to the booget it goeth round. Thus they lyue 
with deceite. 

( IT I was crediblye informed, by such as could well tell, that 
' one of these tipling Tinckers with his dogge robbed by the 
high way iiij. Pallyards and two Eoges, six persons together, and 
tooke from them aboue foure pound in ready money, and hide him 
after in a thick e woode a daye or two, and so escaped vntaken. 
Thus with picking and stealing, mingled with a lytle worke for a 
coulour, they passe their time. 



60 HARMAN. A SWADDER. A IARKEMAN AND A PATRICO. 

IF A SWADDER, OR PEDLER. Cap. 14. 

THese Swadders and Pedlers bee not all euyll, but of an 
indifferent behauiour. Tbese stand in great awe of the 
vpright men, for they hane often both wares and money of 
them. But for as much as they seeke gayne vnlawfully against the 
lawes and statutes of this noble realme, they are well worthy to be 
registred among the number of vacabonds ; and vndoubtedly I haue 
hadde some of them brought before me, when I was in commission 
of the peace, as malefactors, for bryberinge and stealinge. And 
nowe of late it is a greate practes of the vpright man, when he hath 
gotten a botye, to bestowe the same vpon a packefull of wares, and 
so goeth a time for his pleasure, because he would lyue with out 
suspition. 

IT A 1ARKE MAN, AND A PATRICO. Cap. 15. 

FOE as much as these two names, a Iarkeman and a Patrico, 
bee in the old briefe of vacabonds, and set forth as two 
kyndes of euil doers, you shall vnderstande that a Iarkeman 
hathe his name of a Iarke, which is a seale in their Language, as one 
should make writinges and set seales for lycences and pasporte 1 . 
And for trouth there is none that goeth aboute the countrey of them 
that can eyther wryte so good and fayre a hand, either indite so 
learnedly, as I haue sene and handeled a number of them : but 
haue the same made in good townes where they come, as what can 
not be hadde for money, as the prouerbe sayth (" Omnia venalia 
Rome"), and manye hath confessed the same to me. Deaf is, back] Now, 
also, there is a Patrico, and not a Patriarcho 2 , whiche in their 
language is a priest that should make manages tyll death dyd 
depart ; but they haue none such, I am well assured ; for I put you 
out of doubt that not one amo[n]gest a hundreth of them are maried, 
for they take lechery for no sinne, but naturall fellowshyp and good 
lyking loue : so that I wyll not blot my boke with these two that 

be not. 

1 jjasportes. B. 2 Patriarch. B. 



HARMAN. A DEMAUNDER FOR GLYMMAR. 61 

IF A DEMAUNDER FOR GLYMMAR. Cap. 16. 

THese Demaunders for glymmar be for the moste parte wemen ; 
for glymmar, in their language, is fyre. These goe with fayned 1 
lycences and counterfayted wrytings, hauing the hands and 
seales of suche gentlemen as dwelleth nere to the place where they 
fayne them selues to haue bene burnt, and their goods consumed 
with fyre. They wyll most lamentable 2 demaunde your charitie, and 
wyll quicklye shed salte teares, they be so tender halted. They 
wyll neuer begge in that Shiere where their losses (as they say) was. 
Some of these goe with slates at their backes, which is a sheete to 
lye in a nightes. The vpright men be very familiare with these 
kynde of wemen, and one of them helpes an other. 

IT A Demaunder for glymmar came vnto a good towne in Kente, 
to aske the charitie of the people, hauinge a fayned lycens aboute 
her that declared her misfortune by fyre, donne in Somerset shyre, 
walkinge with a wallet on her shoulders, where in shee put the de- 
uotion of suche as hadde no money to geue her ; that is to saye, 
Malte, woll, baken, bread, and cheese ; and alwayes, as the same was 
full, so was it redye money to her, when she emptyed the same, 
where so euer shee trauelede : thys harlot was, as they terme it, 
snowte fayre, and had an vpright man or two alwayes attendinge on 
her watche (whyche is on her parson), and yet so circumspecte, that 
they woulde neuer bee seene in her company in any good towne, 
vnlesse it were in smale vyllages where typling houses weare, eyther 
trauelinge to gether by the hygh wayes ; but the troth is, by report, 
she would wekely be worth vi. or seuen shyllinges with her begging 
and bycherye. This glimmering Morte, repayringe to an Ine in the 
sayde towne where dwelt a wydow of fyftie wynter olde of good 
welth ; but she had an vnthryftye sonne, whom she vsed as a 
chamberlaine to attend gestes when they repared to her house : this 
amerous man, be holdinge with ardante eyes thys 3 glymmeringe 
glauncer, was presentlye pyteouslye persed to the hart, and lewdlye 
longed to bee clothed vnder her lyuerye; and bestowinge [ieafi9] a 

1 faynen. B. 2 lamentably. B. 

beholding this. B. 



62 HARMAN. A DEMAUNDER FOR GLYMMAR. 

fewe fonde wordes with, her, vnderstode strayte that she woulde he 
easlye perswaded to lykinge lechery, and as a man mased, mused 
howe to attayne to his purpose, for ' he hadde no money. Yet con- 
sideringe wyth hym selfe that wares woulde hee welcome where 
money wanted, hee went with a wannion to his mothers chamher, 
and there sekinge ahoute for odde endes, at length founde a lytle 
whystell of syluer that his mother dyd vse customahlye to weare on, 
and had forgot the same for haste that morninge, and offeres the 
same closely to this manerly marian, that yf she would mete hym on 
the hackesyde of the towne and curteously kys him with out con- 
straynt, she shoulde hee mystres thereof, and it weare much "better. 
" Well," sayth she, " you are a wanton ; " and heholdinge the 
Avhystell, was farther in loue there with then rauysht wyth his 
person, and agred to mete him presently, and to accomplyshe his 
fonde fancy : — to he short, and not tedyous, a quarter of a myle from 
the towne, he merely toke measure of her vnder a hawdye hushe ; so 
she gaue hym that she had not, and he recehied that he coulde not ; 
and taking leue of eche other with a curteous kysse, she plesantly 
passed forth one her iornaye, and this vntoward lycorous chamber- 
layne repayred home warde. But or these two tortylles tooke there 
leue, the good wyfe myssed her whystell, and sent one of her 
may denes in to her chamher for the same, and "being long sawght 
for, none coulde he founde • her mystres hering that, diligent search 
was made for the same ; and that it was taken awaye, "began to sus- 
pecte her vnhlessed habe, and demaunded of her maydens whether 
none of them sawe her sonne in her chamher that morning, and one 
of them aunswered that she sawe him not there, hut comming from 
thens : then had she ynough, for well she wyste that he had the 
same, and sent for him, but he could not he founde. Then she 
caused her hosteler, in whome she had better affyaunce in for his 
trouth, — and yet not one amongst twenty of them but haue well 
left there honesty, (As I here a great sorte saye) — to come vnto 
her, whiche attended to knowe her pleasure. "Goe, seke out," 
saythe she, " my vntowarde sonne, and hyd hym come speake 
with me." " I sawe him go out," saythe he, " halfe an lioure 

1 but. B. 



HARM AX. A DEMAUNDEH FOR GLYMMAR. 63 

sithens one the backesyde. I hadde thought you hadde sent him 
of your arrante." "I sent him not," quoth she; "goe, loke him 
out." 

1T This hollowe hosteler toke his staffe in his necke, and trodged 
out apase that waye he sawe him before go, and had some vnderstand- 
ing, by one of the maydens, that his mistres had her whistell stolen 
and suspected her sonne ; and he had not gone farre but that he 
espyed him comming homeward alone, and, meting him, axed where he 
had ben. [leaf io. back] " Where haue I bene 1 " quoth he, and began 
to smyle. "Now, by the mas, thou hast bene at some baudy 
banquet." "Thou hast euen tolde trouth," quoth thys chamber- 
layne. " Sewerly," quoth this hosteler, "thou haddest the same 
woman that begged at our house to day, for the harmes she had by 
fyre : where is she 1 " quoth he. " She is almost a myle by this 
tyme," quoth this chamberlayne. " Where is my mystres whystell ? " 
quoth this hosteler ; " for I am well assured that thou haddest it, 
and I feare me thou hast geuen it to that harlot." "Why! is it 
myssed]" quoth this chamberlayne. "Yea," quoth this hosteler, 
and shewed him all the hole circumstaunce, what was both sayde 
and thought on him for the thing. " Well, I wyl tell the," quoth 
this Chamberlayne. " I wylbe playne with the. I had it in dede, 
and haue geue?* the same to tliis woman, and I praye the make the 
best of it, and helpe nowe to excuse the matter, and yet surely 
and thou wouldest take so much payne for me as to ouer take her, 
(for she goeth but softly, and is not yet farre of) and take the same 
from her, and I am euer thyne assured freende." " Why, then, go 
with me," quoth this hostler. " Nay, in faythe," quoth this Chamber- 
layne ; "what is frear then gift? and I hadde prety pastime for the 
same." "Hadest thou so?" quoth this hosteler; "nowe, by the 
masse, and I wyll haue some to, or I wyll lye in the duste or I come 
agayne." Passing with hast to ouer take this paramoure, within a 
myle from the place where he departed he ouertoke her, hauing an 
vpright man in her company, a stronge and a sturdye vacabond : 
some what amased was this hosteler to se one familiarly in her com- 
pany, for he had well hopped to haue had some delycate dalyance, 
as his fellowe hadde ; but, seinge the matter so fallout, and being of 



f)4 HA.RMAN. A DEMAUNDER FOR GXYMMAR. 

good corage, and thinking to him selfe that one true man was Letter 
then two false knaues, and "being on the high way, thought vpon 
helpe, if nede had bene, by such as had passed to and fro, De- 
maunded fersely the whistell that she had euyn nowe of his fellowe. 
" Why, husband," quoth she, " can you suffer this wretche to 
slaunder your wyfe 1 " " A vaunt verlet," quoth this vpright man, 
and letes dryue with all his force at this hosteler, and after halfe 1 
a dosen blowes, he strycks his staffe out of his hande, and as this 
hosteler stept "backe to haue taken vp his staffe agayne, his glymmer- 
inge Morte flinges a great stone at him, and strake him one the heade 
that downe hee fales, wyth the bloud about his eares, and whyle hee 
laye this amased, the vpright man snatches awaye his pursse, where 
in hee hadde money of his mystresses as well as of his owne, and 
there let him lye, and went a waye with spede that they were neuer 
harde of more. "When this drye beaten hosteler was come to him 
selfe, hee fayntlye wandereth home, and crepethe in to hys couche, 
and restes [leaf 20] his ydle heade : his mystres harde that hee was 
come in, and layde him downe on his beade, repayred straight vnto 
him, and aske hym what he ayled, and what the cause was of his so 
sudden lying one his bed. "What is the cause 1 ?" quoth this 
hosteler; "your whystell, your whistel," — speaking the same 
pyteouslye thre or foure tymes. " Why, fole," quoth his mystrisse, 
" take no care for that, for I doe not greatly waye it ; it was worth 
but three shy Hinges foure pens." "I would it had bene burnt for 
foure yeares agon." " I praye the why so," quoth his mystres ; " I 
think thou art mad." "Nay, not yet," quoth this hosteler, "but I 
haue bene madly handlyd." " Why, what is the matter ] " quoth 
his mystres, and was more desirous to know the case. " And you 
wyl for geue my fellowe and me, I wyll shewe you, or els I wyll 
neuer doe it." Shee made hym presently faithfull promisse that shee 
woulde. "Then," saythe hee, "sende for your sonne home agayne, 
whyche is ashamed to loke you in the face." " I agre there to," 
sayth shee. " Well, then," quoth this hosteler, " youre sonne hathe 
geuen the same Morte that begged here, for the burninge of her 
house, a whystell, and you haue geuen her v. shyllinges in money, 
1 Omitted in 1573. 



HARMAN. A BAWDY BASKET. 65 

and I haue geuen her ten shyllinges of my owne." " Why, howe 
so ? " quoth she. Then he sadly shewed her of his myshap, with all 
the circumstaunce that you haue harde before, and howe hys pursse 
was taken awaye, and xv. shyllinges in the same, where of v. shyl- 
linges was her money and x. shyllinges his owne money. " Is this 
true?" quoth his mystres. "I, by my trouth," quoth this hosteler, 
" and nothing greues me so much, neyther my heating, neither the 
losse of my money, as doth my euell and wreched lucke." " Why, 
what is the matter?" quoth his mystres. "Your sonne," saythe 
this hosteler, " had some chere and pastyme for that whystell, for he 
laye with her, and I haue bene well beaten, and haue had my pursse 
taken from me, and you knowe your sonne is merrye and pleasaunt, 
and can kepe no great councell; and then shall I bemocked and. 
loughed to skorne in all places when they shall here howe I haue 
bene serued." "Nowe, out vpon you knaues both," quoth his 
mystres, and laughes oute the matter; for she well sawe it would 
not other wyse preuayle. 

IT A BAWDY BASKET. Cap. 17. 

THese Bawdy baskets be also wemen, and go with baskets and 
Capcases on their armes, where in they haue laces, pynnes, 
nedles, white ynkell, and round sylke gyrdles of al coulours. 
These wyl bye conneyskiws, 1 and steale linew clothes of on hedges. 
And for their trifles they wil procure of mayden seruaunts, whew 
peaf 20, back] their mystres or dame is oute of the waye, either some good 
peece of beefe, baken, or cheese, that shalbe worth xij. pens, for ii. 
pens of their toyes. And as they walke by the waye, they often 
gaine some money wyth their instrument, by such as they sodaynely 
mete withall. The vpright men haue good acquayntance with these, 
and will helpe and relieue them when they want. Thus they trade 
their lyues in lewed lothsome lechery. Amongest them all is but 
one honest woman, and she is of good yeares; her name is lone 
Messenger. I haue had good proofe of her, as I haue learned by the 
tru^ report of diuers. 

1 Rabbitskins 



66 HARMAN. A BAWDY BASKET. 

j There came to my gate the last sommer, Anno Domini .1566, 
I a very miserable man, and much deformed, as burnt in the 
face, blere eyde, and lame of one of his legges that he went with a 
crouche. I axed him wher he was borne, and where he dwelt 
last, and shewed him that thether he must repaire and be re- 
leued, and not to range aboute the countrey ; and seing some 
cause of cherytie, I caused him to haue meate and drinke, and 
when he had dronke, I demaunded of him whether he was neuer 
spoyled of the vpright man or Eoge. " Yes, that I haue," quoth 
he, " and not this seuen yeres, for so long I haue gon abroad, I had 
not so much taken from me, and so euyll handeled, as I was Wit7iin 
these iiij. dayes." " Why, how so 1 " quoth I. " In good fayth, 
sir," quoth hee, " I chaunced to meete with one of these bawdy bas- 
kets which had an vpright man in her company, and as I would 
haue passed quietly by her, ' man,' sayth she vnto vnto her make, 
1 do you not se this ylfauored, windshakew knaue 1 ' ' Yes,' quoth 
the vpright man ; 'what saye you to him % ' 'this knaue 1 oweth me 
ii. shyllings for wares that 2 he had of me, halfe a yere a go, I think 
it well.' Sayth this vpright man, ' syra,' sayth he, ' paye your dets.' 
Sayth this poore man, ' I owe her none, nether dyd I euer bargane 
with her for any thinge, and as this 3 aduysed I neuer sawe her before 
in all my lyfe.' ' Mercy, god ! ' quoth she, ' what a lyinge knaue is 
this, and he wil not paye you, husband, beat him suerly,' and the 
vpright man gaue me thre or foure blowes on my backe and should- 
ers, and would haue beat me worsse and I had not geuen hym all 
the money in my pursse, and in good fayth, for very feare, I was 
fayne to geue him xiiij. pens, which was all the money that I had. 
1 Why,' sayth this bawdy basket, ' hast thou no more ] then thou 
owest me ten pens styll ; and, be well assured that I wyll bee payde 
the next tyme I meete with thee.' And so they let me passe by 
them. I praye god saue and blesse me, and al other in my case, 
from such wycked persons," quoth this poore man. " Why, whether 
went they then ] " quoth I. " Into east Kent, for I mete with them 
on thyssyde of Rochester. I haue dyuers tymes bene attemted, but 

1 B. inserts sayth she. 2 Omitted in 1573. 3 1573 reads lam 



II ARM AN. A AUTEM MORT. A WALKING MORT. 67 

I neuer loste [leaf 21] much before. I thanke god, there came styll 
company by a fore this vnhappy time." " "Well," quoth I, " thanke 
God of all, and repaire home into thy natyue countrey." 

H A AUTEM MORT. Cap. 18. 

THese Autem Mortes be maried wemen, as there be but a fewe. 
For Autem in their Language is a Churche ; so she is a wyfe 
maried at the Church, and they be as chaste as a Cowe I 
haue, that goeth to Bull euery moone, with what Bull she careth 
not. These walke most times from their husbands companye a 
moneth and more to gether, being asociate with another as honest as 
her selfe. These wyll pylfar clothes of hedges : some of them go 
with children of ten or xii. yeares of age ; yf tyme and place serue 
for their purpose, they wyll send them into some house, at the 
window, to steale and robbe, which they call in their language, Mill- 
ing of the ken ; and wil go witA wallets on their shoulders, and 
slates at their backes. There is one of these Autem Mortes, she is 
now a widow, of fyfty yeres old ; her name is Alice Milson : she 
goeth about with a couple of great boyes, the yongest of them is 
fast vpon xx. yeares of age ; and these two do lye with her euery 
night, and she lyeth in the middes : she sayth that they be her chil- 
dren, that beteled be babes borne of such abhominable bellye. 

11 A WALKING MORT. Cap. 19. 

THese walkinge Mortes bee not maryed : these for their vn- 
happye yeares doth go as a Autem Morte, and wyll saye their 
husbandes died eyther at Newhauen, Ireland, or in some seruice 
of the Prince. These make laces vpon staues, and purses, that they 
cary in their hands, and whyte vallance for beddes. Manye of these 
hath hadde and haue chyldren : when these get ought, either with 
begging, bychery, or brybery, as money or apparell, they are quickby 
shaken out of all by the vpright men, that they are in a maruelous 
feare to cary any thinge aboute them that is of any valure. Where 
fore, this pollicye they vse, they leaue their money now with one and 
then with a nother trustye housholders, eyther with the good man or 
good wyfe, some tyme in one shiere, and then in another, as they 



68 HARMAN. A WALKING MORT. 

trauell : this liaue I knowne, thai iiij. or v. shy Hinges, yea x. shyl- 
linges, lefte in a place, and the same wyll they come for againe with- 
in one quarter of a yeare, or some tyme not in halfe a yeare ; and all 
this is to lytle purpose, for all their peuyshe [leaf si, back] pollycy ; 
for when they bye them lynnen or garmentse, it is taken awaye 
from them, and worsse geuen them, or none at all. 

IT The last Sommer, Anno domini .1566, being in familiare 
talke with a walking Mort that came to my gate, I learned by her 
what I could, and I thought I had gathered as much for my purpose 
as I desired. I began to rebuke her for her leud lyfe and beastly 
behauor, declaring to her what punishment was prepared and heaped 
vp for her in the world to come for her fylthy lyuinge and wretched 
conuersation. " God helpe," quoth she, " how should I lyue 1 none 
wyll take me into seruice ; but I labour in haruest time honestly." 
" I thinke but a whyle with honestie," quoth I. " Shall I tell you," 
quoth she, " the best of vs all may be amended ; but yet, I thanke 
god, I dyd one good dede within this twelue mowthes." " "Wherein?" 
quoth I. Sayth she, "I woulde not haue it spoken of agayne." 
"Yf it be meete and necessary," quod I, "it shall lye vnder my 
feete." "What meane you by that 1 " quoth she. " I meane," quod 
I, "to hide the same, and neuer to discouer it to any." "Well," 
quoth she, and began to laugh as much as she could, and sweare by 
the masse that if I disclosed the same to any, she woulde neuer more 1 
tell me any thinge. " The last sommer," quoth she, " I was greate 
with chylde, and I traueled into east kent by the sea coste, for I 
lusted meruelously after oysters and muskels 2 , and gathered many, 
and in the place where I found them, I opened them and eate them 
styll : at the last, in seking more, I reached after one, and stept into 
a hole, and fel in into the wast, and their dyd stycke, and I had 
bene drowned if the tide had come, and espyinge a man a good waye 
of, I cried as much as I could for helpe. I was alone, he hard 
me, and repaired as fast to me as he might, and finding me their fast 
stycking, I required for gods sake his helpe ; and whether it was with 
stryuinge and forcing my selfe out, or for ioye I had of his com- 
minge to me, I had a great couller in my face, and loked red and well 
1 Omitted in 1573. 2 mussels. B. 



HARMAN. A WALKING MORT. 69 

coullered. And, to be playne with you, hee lyked mo so well (as he 
sayd) that I should there lye styll, and I would not graunt him, that 
he might lye with me. And, by my trouth, I wist not what to 
answeare, I was in such a perplexite ; for I knew the man well : he 
had a very honest woman to his wyfe, and was of some welth ; and, 
one the other syde, if I weare not holpe out, I should there haue 
perished, and I graunted hym that I would obeye to his wyll : then 
he plucked me out. And because there was no conuenient place nere 
hande, I required hym that I might go Avashe my selfe, and make me 
somewhat clenly, and I would come to his house and lodge all night 
in his barne, whether he mighte repaire to me, and accomplyshe hys 
desire, ' but let it not be,' quoth she, 1 ' before nine of the clocke at 
nyghte Deaf 22] for then there wylbe small styrring. And I may re- 
paire to the towne,' quoth she, 2 ' to warme and drye my selfe ' ; for 
this was about two of the clocke in the after none. ' Do so,' quoth 
hee ; ' for I must be busie to looke oute my cattell here by before I 
can come home.' So I went awaye from hym, and glad was I." 
" And why so ? " quoth I. " Because," quoth she, " his wyfe, my 
good dame, is my very freend, and I am much beholdinge to her. 
And she hath donne me so much good or this, that I weare loth nowe 
to harme her any waye." "Why," quoth I, "what and it hadde 
beene any other man, and not your good dames husbande? " " The 
matter had bene the lesse," quoth shoe. "Tell me, I pray the," 
quoth I, " who was the father of thy chylde 1 " She stodyd a whyle, 
and sayde that it hadde a father. " But what was hee 1 " quoth I. 
" Nowe, by my trouth, I knowe not," quoth shee ; "you brynge me 
out of my matter so, you do." " Well, saye on," quoth I. " Then I 
departed strayght to the towne, and came to my dames house, And 
shewed her of my mysfortune, also of her husbands vsage, in all 
pointes, and that I showed her the same for good wyll, and byde her 
take better heede to her husbande, and to her selfe : so shee gaue me 
great thankes, and made me good cheere, and byd me in anye case 
that I should be redye at the barne at that tyme and houre Ave had 
apoynted ; ' for I knowe well,' quoth this good wyfe, ' my husband 
wyll not breake Avyth the. And one thinge I warne 3 the, that thou 
1 he, ed. 1573. •' /, ed. 1573. 3 warrant. B. 



70 HARMAN. A WALKING MORT. 

geue me a watche worde a loud when hee goeth aboute to haue his 
pleasure of the, and that shall 1 bee " fye, for shame, fye," and I wyll 
bee harde by you wyth helpe. But I charge the keepe thys secret 
vntyll all bee fynesed ; and holde,' say the thys good wyfe, ' here is 
one of my peticotes I geue thee.' ' I thanke you, good dame,' 
quoth I, 'and I warrante you I wyll bee true and trustye vnto 
you.' So my dame lefte me settinge by a good fyre with meate 
and drynke ; and wyth the oysters I broughte with me, I hadde greate 
cheere : shee wente strayght and repaired vnto her gossypes dwelling 
there by ; and, as I dyd after vnderstande, she made her mone to 
them, what a naughty e, lewed, lecherous husbande shee hadde, and 
howe that she coulde not haue hys companye for harlotes, and that 
she was in feare to take some fylthy dysease of hym, he was so 
commen a man, hauinge lytle respecte whome he hadde to do with 
all ; ' and,' quoth she, ' nowe here is one at my house, a poore woman 
that goeth aboute the countrey that he woulde haue hadde to doe 
withall ; wherefore, good neyghboures and louinge gossypes, as you 
loue me, and as you would haue helpe at my hand another tyme, 
deuyse some remedy to make my husband a good man, thai I may 
lyue in some suerty without disease, and that hee may saue his soule 
that God so derelye [leaf 22, back] bought.' After shee hadde tolde her 
tale, they caste their persinge eyes all vpon her, but one stoute dame 
amongst the rest had these wordes — ' As your pacient bearinge of 
troubles, your honest behauiour among vs your neyghbours, your 
tender and pytifull hart to the poore of the parysh, doth moue vs to 
lament your case, so the vnsatiable carnalite of your faithelesse hus- 
bande doth instigate and styre vs to deuyse and inuent some speedy 
redresse for your ease 2 and the amendement of hys lyfe. Wherefore, 
this is my councell and you wyll bee aduertysed by me ; for 3 I saye 
to you all, vnlesse it be this good wyfe, who is cheefely touched in 
this matter, I haue the nexte cause ; for hee was in hande wyth me 
not longe a goe, and companye had not bene present, which was by 
a meruelous chaunce, he hadde, I thinke, forced me. For often hee 
hath bene tempering 4 with me, and yet haue I sharpely sayde him 

1 slwuld. B. 2 1573 reads ease 8 Omitted in 1578. 

4 1573 reads tempting 



HARMAN. A WALKING MORT. 71 

naye : therefore, let vs assemble secretly into the place where hee 
hathe apuynted to ineete thys gyllot that is at your house, and lyrke 
preuelye in some corner tyll hee begyn to goe aboute his busines. 
And then me thought I harde you saye euen nowe that you had a 
watche word, at which word we wyll all stepforth, being fiue of vs 
besydes you, for you shalbe none because it is your husbande, but 
gette you to bed at your accustomed houre. And we wyll cary eche 
of vs 1 good byrchen rodde in our lappes, and we will all be muffeled 
for knowing, and se that you goe home and acquaynt that walking 
Morte with the matter ; for we must haue her helpe to hold, for 
alwaies foure must hold and two lay one.' 'Alas !' sayth this good 
wyfe, ' he is to stronge for you all. I would be loth, for my sake 
you should receaue harme at his hande.' ' feare you not,' quoth these 
stout wemen, ' let her not geue the watch word vntyl his hosen be 
abaut his legges. And I trowe we all wylbe with him to bring 
before he shall haue leasure to plucke them vp againe.' They all 
with on voyce ag[r]ed to the matter, that the way she had deuised was 
the best : so thi3 good wife repaired home ; but before she departed 
from her gossypes, she shewed them at what houre they should 
preuely come in on the backsid, and where to tary their good our : 
so by the time she came in, it was all most night, and found the walk- 
ing Morte still setting by the fyre, and declared to her all this new 
deuyse aboue sayd, which promised faythfully to full fyll to her small 
powre as much as they hadde deuysed : within a quarter of an oure 
after, in commeth the good man, who said that he was about his 
cattell. " Why, what haue we here, wyfe, setting by the fyre 1 and 
yf she haue eate and dronke, send her into the barne to her lodging 
for this night, for she troubeleth the house." "Euen as you wyll 
husbande," sayth his wyfe ; " you knowe she commeth once in two 
yeres into these [leaf 23] quarters. Awaye," saythe this good wyfe, 
" to your lodginge." " Yes, good dame," sayth she, " as fast as I 
can:" thus, by loking one 2 on the other, eche knewe others mynde, 
and so departed to her comely couche : the good man of the house 
shrodge hym for Ioye, thinking to hym selfe, I wyll make some pas- 
tyme with you anone. And calling to his wyfe for hys sopper, set 
' B. inserts a 2 won. B. 



72 HARMAN. A WALKING MORT. 

him downe, and was very plesant, and dranke to his wyfe, and fell 
to his mammerings, and mounched a pace, nothing vnderstanding of 
the bancquet that ' was a preparing for him after sopper, and according 
to the prouerbe, that swete meate wyll haue sowre sawce : thus, whew 
he was well refreshed, his sprietes being reuyued, entred into fami- 
liare talke with his wife, of many matters, how well he had spent 
that daye to both there proffytes, sayinge some of his cattell 2 were 
lyke to haue bene drowned in the dyches, dryuinge others of his 
neyghbours cattell out that were in his pastures, and mending his 
fences that were broken downe. Thus profitably he had consumed 
the daye, nothinge talking of his helping out of the walkinge Morte 
out of the myre, nether of his request nor yet of her 3 promisse. 
Thus feding her with frendly fantacyes, consumed two houres and 
more. Then fayninge howe hee would se in what case his horse 
were in and howe they were dressed, Repaired couertly into the 
barne, where as his free[n]dlye foes lyrked preuely, vnlesse it were 
this manerly Morte, that comly couched on a bottell of strawe. 
" What, are you come 1 " quotJi she ; " by the masse, I would not 
for a hundreth pound that my dame should knowe that you were 
here, eyther any els of your house." " No, I warrant the," sayth 
this good man, " they be all safe and fast ynough at their woorke, 
and I wylbe at mine anon." And laye downe by her, and strayght 
would haue had to do witJi her. "Nay, fye," sayth she, "I lyke 
not this order : if ye lye with me, you shall surely vntrus you and 
put downe your hosen, for that way is most easiest and best." 
" Sayest thou so 1 " quoth he, " now, by my trouth agred." And 
when he had vntrussed him selfe and put downe, he began to assalt 
the vnsatiable 4 fort " Why," quoth she, that was with out shame, 
sauinge for her promes, " And are you not ashamed 1 " " neuer a 
whyte," sayth he, " lye downe quickely." " Now, fye, for shame, 
fye," sayth shee a loude, whyche was the watche word. At the 
which word, these fyue furious, sturdy, muffeled gossypes flynges 
oute, and takes sure holde of this be trayed parson, sone 5 pluckinge 
his hosen downe lower, and byndinge the same fast about his feete ; 

1 B. omits tltat 2 B. inserts that * 1573 reads his 

4 B. reads vnsanable, or vnsatiable 6 1573 reads some 



HARMAN. A DOXE. 73 

then byndinge his handes, and knitting a hande charcher about his 
eyes, that he shoulde not see ; and when they had made hym sure 
and fast, Then they layd him one vntyll they weare windles. " Be 
good," sayth this Morte, " vnto my maister, for the passion of God," 
[leaf 23, back] and layd on as fast as the rest, and styll seased not to 
crye vpon them to bee mercyfull vnto hym, and yet layde on a pace; 
and when they had well beaten hym, that the bloud braste plenti- 
fullye oute in most places, they let hym lye styll bounde. With 
this exhortation, that he shoulde from that tyme forth knowe his 
wyfe from other mens, and that this punishment was but a flebyting 
in respect of that which should followe, yf he amended not his 
manners. Thus leuynge hym blustering, blowing, and fominge for 
payne, and malyncolye that hee neither might or coulde be reuenged 
of them, they vanyshed awaye, and hadde thys Morte with them, 
and safely conuayde her out of the towne : sone after co??imeth into 
the barne one of the good mans boyes, to fet some haye for his horse. 
And fyndinge his maister lyinge faste bounde and greuouslye beaten 
with rodes, was sodenly abashed and woulde haue runne out agayne 
to haue called for helpe ; but his maister bed hym come vnto hym 
and vnbynd hym; "and make no wordes," quoth he, "of this. I 
wylbe reuenged well inoughe ; " yet not with standinge, after better 
aduyse, the matter beinge vnhonest, he thought it meter to let the 
same passe, and, not, as the prouerbe saythe, to awake the sleping 
dogge. " And, by my trouth," quoth this walkinge Morte, " I come 
nowe from that place, and was neuer there sythens this parte was 
playde, whiche is some what more then a yeare. And I here a very 
good reporte of hym now, that he loueth his wyfe well, and vseth 
hym selfe verya honestlye ; and was not tins a good acte 1 nowe, howe 
saye you 1 " " It was pretely handeled," quoth I, " and is here alii " 
"Yea," quoth she, "here is the enda" 

IT A Doxe. Cap. 20. 

rpHese Doxes be broken and spoyled of their maydenhead by 
-*- the vpright men, and then they haue their name of Doxes, 
and not afore. And afterwarde she is commen and indifferent for 
any that wyll vse her, as homo is a commen name to all men. Such 



74 HARMAN. A DOXE. 

as be fayre and some what handsome, kepe company with the walk- 
inge Mortes, and are redye alwayes for the vpright men, and are 
cheifely mayntayned by them, for others shalbe spoyled for their 
sakes : the other, inferior, sort wyll resorte to noble mens places, and 
gentlemens houses, standing at the gate, eyther lurkinge on the 
backesyde about backe houses, eyther in hedge rowes, or some other 
thycket, expectinge their praye, which is for the vncomely company 
of some curteous gest, of whome they be refreshed with meate and 
some money, where eschaunge is made, ware for ware : this bread 
and meate they vse to carry e in their Oaf 21] greate hosen ; so that 
these beastlye bry binge ' breeches serue manye tymes for bawdye pur- 
poses. I chaunced, not longe sithens, familiarly to commen with a 
Doxe that came to my gate, and surelye a pleasant harlot, and not so 
pleasant as wytty, and not so wytty as voyd of all grace and goodnes. 
I founde, by her talke, that sh£e hadde passed her tyme lewdlye 
eyghttene yeares in walkinge aboute. I thoughte this a necessary 
instrument to attayne some knowledge by; and before I woulde 
grope her mynde, I made her both to eate and drynke well ; that 
done, I made her faythfull promisse to geue her some money, yf she 
would open and dyscouer to me such questions as I woulde demaunde 
of her, and neuer to bee wraye her, neither to disclose her name. 
" And you shoulde," sayth she, " I were vndon : " " feare not that," 
quoth I; "but, I praye the," quoth I, "say nothing but trouth." 
" I wyll not," sayth shee. " Then, fyrste tell me," quoth I, " how 
many vpright men and Eoges dost thou knowe, or hast thou knowne 
and byn conuersaunt with, and what their names be ] " She paused 
a whyle, and sayd, " why do you aske me, or wherefore 1 " " For 
nothinge els," as I sayde, " but that I woulde knowe them when 
they came to my gate." " Nowe, by my trouth " (quoth she) " then 
are yea neuer the neare, for all myne acquayntaunce, for the moste 
parte, are deade." "Dead !" quoth I, "howe dyed they, for wante 
of cherishinge, or of paynefull diseases?" Then she sighed, and 
sayde they were hanged. "What, all?" quoth I, "and so manye 
walke abroade, as I dayelye see ?" " By my trouth," quoth she, " I 

* bryberinge. B. 



HARMAN. A DELL. 75 

knowe not paste six or seuen by their names," and named the same 
to me. " When were they hanged 1 " quoth I. " Some seuen yeares 
a gone, some three yeares, and some "within this fortnight," and de- 
clared the place where they weare executed, which I knewe well to 
bee true, by the report of others. " Why " (quoth I) " dyd not this 
sorrowfull and fearefull sight much greue the, and for thy tyme longe 
and euyll spent ? " "I was sory," quoth shee, " by the Masse ; for 
some of them were good louing men. For I lackt not when they 
had it, and they wanted not when I had it, and diuers of them I 
neuer dyd forsake, vntyll the Gallowes departed vs." " 0, mercyfull 
God ! " quoth I, and began to blesse me. " Why blesse ye 1 " quoth 
she. " Alas ! good gentleman, euery one muste haue a lyuinge." 
Other matters I talked of; but this nowe maye suffice to shewe 
the Reader, as it weare in a glasse, the bolde beastly lyfe of these 
Doxes. For suche as hath gone anye tyme abroade, wyll neuer for- 
sake their trade, to dye therefore. I haue hadde good profe thereof. 
There is one, a notorious harlot, of this affinitye, called Besse 
Bottomelye ; she hath but one hande, and she hath murthered two 
children at the least. 

[leaf 2t, back] IF A DELL. Cap. 21. 

A Dell is a yonge wenche, able for generation, and not yet 
knowen or broken by the vpright man. These go abroade 
yong, eyther by the death of their parentes, and no bodye to 
looke vnto them, or els by some sharpe mystres that they 
serue, do runne away out of seruice ; eyther she is naturally borne 
one, and then she is a wyld Dell : these are broken verye yonge ; 
when they haue beene lyen with all by the vpright man, then they 
be Doxes, and no Dels. These wylde dels, beinge traded vp with 
their monstrous mothers, must of necessytie be as euill, or worsse, 
then their parents, for neither we gather grapes from greene bryars, 
neither fygs from Thystels. But such buds, such blosoms, such 
euyll sede sowen, wel worsse beinge growen. 



76 HARMAN. A KTNCHIN MORTE, ETC. 

IT A Kynchin Morte. Cap. 22. 

AKynching Morte is a lytle Gyrle : the Mortes their mothers 
carries them at their backes in their slates, whiche is their 
shetes, and bryngs them vp sauagely 1 , tyll they growe to be 
rype, and soone rype, soone rotten. 

IF A Kynchen Co. Cap. 23. 

A Kynchen Co is a young boye, traden vp to suche peuishe pur- 
-*"*- poses as you haue harde of other young ympes before, that 
when he groweth vnto yeres, he is better to hang then to drawe 
forth. 

IT Their vsage in the night. Cap. 24. 

NOw I thihke it not vnnecessary to make the Reader vnder- 
stand how and in what maner they lodge a nights in barnes 
or backe houses, and of their vsage there, for asmuch as I 
haue acquaynted them with their order and practises a day 
times. The arche and chiefe walkers that hath walked a 
long time, whose experience is great, because of their continuinge 
practise, I meane all Mortes and Doxes, for their handsomnes and 
diligence for making of their couches. The men neuer trouble them 
selues with thai thing, but takes the same to be the dutye of the 
wyfe. And she shuffels vp a quayntitye of strawe or haye into 
some pretye earner of the barne [leaf 25] where she maye conue- 
nientlye lye, and well shakethe the same, makinge the heade some 
what hye, and dryues the same vpon the sydes and fete lyke abed : 
then she layeth her wallet, or some other lytle pack of ragges or 
scrype vnder her heade in the strawe, to beare vp the same, and 
layethe her petycote or cloke vpon and ouer the strawe, so made lyke 
a bedde, and that serueth for the blancket. Then she layeth her 
slate, which is her sheete, vpon that ; and she haue no sheete, as 
fewe of them goe without, then she spreddeth some large cloutes or 
rags ouer the same, and maketh her ready, and layeth her drouselye 
downe. Many wyll plucke of their smockes, and laye the same vpon 
them in stede of their vpper sheete, and all her other pelte and 
1 B. reads safely 



HARMAN. DOXES VSAGE IN THE NIGHT. 77 

trashe vpon her also ; and many lyeth in their smockes. And if the 
rest of her clothes in colde weather he not sufficient to kepe her 
warme, then she taketh strawe or haye to performe the matter. The 
other sorte, that haue not slates, hut toumhle downe and couche a 
hogshead in their clothes, these bee styll lousye, and shall neuer he 
with out vermyn, vnlesse they put of theire clothes, and lye as is a 
boue sayde. If the vpright man come in where they lye, he hath 
his choyse, and crepeth in close by his Doxe : the Eoge hath his 
leauings. If the Morts or Doxes lye or be lodged in some Farmers 
barne, and the dore be ether locked or made fast to them, then wyl 
not the vpright man presse to come in, Vnles it be in barnes and 
oute houses standinge alone, or some distance from houses, which be 
commonly knowne to them, As saint Quintens, three Cranes of the 
vintrey, Saynt Tybbes, and Knapsbery. These foure be with in one 
myle compasse neare vnto London. Then haue you iiij. more in 
Middlesex, drawe the pudding out of the fyre in Harrow on the hyll 
parish, the Crose Keyes in Cranford ' parish, Saynt Iulyans in 
Thystell worth parish, the house of pyty in Northhall parysh. These 
are their chiefe houses neare about London, where commonly they 
resorte vnto for Lodginge, and maye repaire thether freelye at all 
tymes. Sometyme shall come in some Eoge, some pyckinge knaue, 
a nymble Prygge ; he walketh in softly a nightes, when they be at 
their rest, and plucketh of as many garmentes as be ought worth that 
he maye come by, and worth money, and maye easely cary the same, 
and runneth a waye with the same with great seleritye, and maketh 
porte sale at some conuenient place of theirs, that some be soone 
ready in the morning, for want of their Casters and Togemaws. 
Where in steede of blessinge is cursing ; in place of praying, pestelent 
prating with odious othes and terrible threatninges. The vpright 
men haue geuen all these nycke names to the places aboue sayde. 
Y[e]t haue [leaf 25, back] we two notable places in Kent, not fare 
from London : the one is betwene Detforde and Eothered, called the 
Kynges barne, standing alone, that they haunt commonly ; the other 
is Ketbroke, standinge by blacke heath, halfe a myle from anye 
house. There wyll they boldlye drawe the latche of the doore, and 
' 1573 reads Cray ford. 



78 



HARMAN. NAMES OF VPRIGHT MEN. 



go in when the good man with hys famyly be at supper, and syt 
downe without leaue, and eate and drinke with them, and either lye 
in the hall by the fyre all night, or in the barne, if there be no rome 
in the house for them. If the doore be eyther bolted or lockt, if it 
be not opened vnto them when they wyl, they wyl breake the same 
open to his farther cost. And in this barne sometyme do lye xl. 
vpright men with their Doxes together at one time. And this must 
the poore Farmer suffer, or els they threaten him to burne him, and 
all that he hath. 



THE NAMES OF THE VPEIGHT MEN, EOGES, AND 
PALLYAEDS. 

HEre followeth the vnrulye rablement of rascals, and the moste 
notoryous and wyckedst walkers that are lyuinge nowe at this 
present, with their true names as they be called and knowne by. 
And although I set and place here but thre orders, yet, good Eeader, 
vnderstand that all the others aboue named are deriued and come 
out from the vpright men and Eoges. Concerning the number of 
Mortes and Doxes, it is superfluous to wryte of them. I could well 
haue don it, but the number of them is great, and woulde aske a 
large volume. 

1T Upright Men. 



A. 1 

Antony Heymer. 
Antony Iackeson. 

B. 

Burfet. 

Bryan medcalfe. 



Core the Cuckold. 
Chrystouer Cooke. 



D. 

Dowzabell skylfull 
fence. 

Dauid Coke. 

Dycke Glouer. 

Dycke Abrystowe. 

Dauid Edwardes. 

Dauid Holand. 

Dauid Iones. 



E. 

in Edmund Dun, a sing- 
ing man. 

Edward Skiner, alias 
Ned Skinner. 

Edward Browne. 
F. 



Follentine Hylles. 
Fardinando angell. 
Fraunces Dawghton. 

1 The arrangement in Bodley ed. is not alphabetical. 



HARMAN. NAMES OF VPRIGHT MEN. 



G. 

Gryffin. 

Great Iohn Graye. 
George Marrinar. 
George Hutchinson. 

H. 

Hary Hylles, alias 
Harry godepar. 

tieaf 26] Harry Agglyn- 
tine. 

Harry Smyth, he 
driueleth whew he 
speaketh. 

Harry Ionson. 



lames Barnard. 

Iohn Myllar. 

Iohn Walchman. 

Iohn Iones. 

Iolm Teddar. 

Iohn Braye. 

Iohn Cutter. 

Iohn Bell. 

Iohn Stephens. 

Iohn Graye. 

Iohn Whyte. 

Iohn Eewe. 

Iohn Mores. 

Iohn a Farnando. 

Iohn Newman. 

Iohn Wyn, alias Wyl- 
liams. 

Iohn a Pycons. 

Iohn Tomas. 

Iohn Arter. 

Iohn Palmer,rtZi'a6*Tod. 



Iohn Geffrey. 

Iohn Goddard. 

Iohn Graye the lytle. 

Iohn Graye the great. 

Iohn Wylliams the 
Longer. 

Iohn Horwood, a maker 
of wels ; he wyll take 
halfe his bargayne 
in hand, and when 
hee hath wrought 
ii. or iii. daies, he 
runneth away with 
his earnest. 

Iohn Peter. 

Iohn Porter. 

Iohn Appowes. 

Iohn Arter. 

Iohn Bates. 

Iohn Comes. 

Iohn Chyles, alias 
great Chyles. 

IohnLeuet; hemaketh 
tappes and fausets. 

Iohn Louedall, a mais- 
ter of fence. 

Iohn Louedale. 

Iohn Mekes. 

Iohn Appowell. 

Iohn Chappell. 

Iohn Gryffen. 

Iohn Mason. 

Iohn Humfrey, with 
the lame hand. 

Iohn Stradling, with 
the shaking head. 

Iohn Franke. 

Iohn Baker. 

Iohn Bascafeld. 



K. 

L. 

Lennard lust. 
Long Greene. 
Laurence Ladd. 
Laurence Marshall. 

M. 

N". 
Nicolas Wilson. 
Ned Barington. 
Ned Wetherdon. 
Ned holmes. 

0. 
P. 

Phyllype Greene. 

Q- 

E. 

Eobart Grauener. 

Bobart Gerse. 

Eobart Kynge. 

Eobart Egerton. 

Eobart Bell, brother 
to Iohn Bell. 

Eobart Maple. 

Eobart Langton. 

Eobyn Bell. 

Eobyn Toppe. 

Eobart Brownswerd, 
he werith his here 
long. 

Eobart Curtes. 

Eychard Brymmysh. 

Eychard Iustyce. 

Eychard Barton. 



80 



HARMAN. NAMES OP ROGES* 



Rychard Constance. 
Rychard Thomas. 
Rychard Cadman. 
Eychard Scategood. 
Rychard Apryce. 
Rychard Walker. 
Rychard Coper. 

S. 
Steuen Neuet. 

T. 
Thomas Bulloke. [leaf 

2G, back] 

Thomas Cutter. 
Thomas Garret. 
Thomas Newton. 
Thomas Weh. 



Thomas Graye, his toes 
he gonne. 

Tom Bodel. 

Thomas "Wast. 

Thomas Dawsow alias 
Thomas Iacklin. 

Thomas Basset. 

Thomas Marchant. 

Thomas "Weh. 

Thomas Awefeld. 

Thomas Gyhbins. 

Thomas Lacon. 

Thomas Bate. 

Thomas Allen. 

V. 

W. 

Welarayd Richard. 



Wylliam Chamhorne. 
Wylliam Pannell. 
Wylliam Morgan. 
Wylliam Belson. 
Wylliam Ebes. 
Wylliam Garret. 
Wylliam Robynson. 
Wylliam Vmberuile. 
Wylliam Dauids. 
Wyll Pen. 
Wylliam Iones. 
Wyll Powell. 
Wylliam Clarke. 
Water Wirall. 
Wylliam Browne. 
Water Martyne. 1 
Wylliam Grace. 
Wylliam Pyckering. 



ROGES. 

G. 



Arche Dowglas, a Scot. 

B. 
Blacke Dycke. 

C. 

D. 

Dycke Durram. 

Dauid Dew neuet, a 
counterfet Cranke. 

E. 

Edward v Ellys. 
Edward Anseley. 

F. 



George Belberby. 

Goodman. 

Gerard Gybbin, a coun- 
terfet Cranke. 

H. 

Hary Walles, with the 
lytle mouth. 

Humfrey ward. 

Harry Mason. 

I. 

Iohn Warren. 

Iohn Donne, with one 
legge. 

1 Omitted in 1573 edit. 



Iohn Elson. 

Iohn Eaynoles, Irysh 
man. 

Iohn Harrys. 

lames Monkaster, a 
counterfet Cranke. 

Iohn Dewe. 

Iohn Crew, with one 
arme. 

Iohn Browne, great 
stamerar. 



Lytle Dycke. 
Lytle Robyn. 
Lambart Rose. 



HABMAN. NAMES OF PALLYABDS. 



81 



M. 

More, burnt in the 
hand. 1 

N. 

Nicholas Adames, a 
great stamerar. 2 

Nycholas Crispyn. 

Nycholas Blunt alias 
Nycholas Gennings, 
a counterfet Cranke. 

Nycholas Lynch. 

R. 

Rychard Brewton. 

Ry chard Horwod, well 
nere lxxx. yeares 
olde ; he wyll byte 
a vi. peny nayle a 



sonder with his 
teeth, and a bawdye 
Deaf 27] dronkard. 

Richard Crane ; he 
carieth a Kynchne 
Co at his backe. 

Rychard Iones. 

Raffe Ketley. 

Robert Harrison. 

S. 
Simon Kynge. 

T. 

Thomas Paske. 

3 Thomas Bere. 

Thomas Shawnean, 
Irish man. 



Thomas Smith, with 
the skald skyn. 3 

W. 

Wylliam Carew. 

Wylliam wastfield. 

Wylson. 

Wylliam Gynkes, with 
a whyte bearde, a 
lusty and stronge 
man ; he runneth 
about the countrey 
to seeke worke, with 
a byg boy, his sonne 
carying his toles as 
a dawber or plays- 
terer, but ly tie worke 
serueth him. 



B. 



Bashford. 

D. 

Dycke Sehan Irish. 

Dauid Powell. 

Dauid Iones, a coun- 
terfet Crank. 

E. 

Edward Hey ward,hath 
his Morte following 
him, which fained 
the Cranke. 



1T PALLYABDS. 

Edward Lewes, a dum- 
merer. 

H. 

Hugh Iones. 

I. 

Iohn Perse, 4 a counter- 
fet Cranke. 

Iohn dauids. 
Iohn Harrison. 

Iohn Carew. 

lames Lane, with one 
eye, Irish. 



Iohn Fysher. 

Iohn Dewe. 

Iohn Gylford, Irish, 
with a counterfet 
lisence. 

L. 

Laurence with the 
great legge. 

N. 

Nycholas Newton, cari- 
eth a fained lisence. 

Nicholas Decase. 



1 Omitted in 1573 ed. 2 Last three words omitted in 1573 ed. 

3 The 1573 ed. arranges these names in the following order : — 
Thomas Beere. 

Irish man. 
Thomas Smith with the 

skalde skin. 
Thomas Shawneam. 
* The 1573 ed. reads Persk 

6 



82 



HARMAN. PEDDELARS FRENCHE. 



Eichard Thomas. 



Prestoue. 

R. 

Robart Lackley. 

Robart Canloke. 

Richard Hylton, cary- 
eth ii. Kynchen 
mortes about him. 



S. 

Soth gard. 
Swanders. 

T. 

Thomas Edwards. 



Thomas Dauids. 

Wylliam Thomas. 

Wylliam Coper with 
the Harelyp. 

Wyll Pettyt, beareth a 
Kinche?z mort at his 
back. 

Wylliam Bowmer. 



There is aboue an hundreth of Irish men and women that wander 
about to begge for their lyuing, that hath come ouer within these two 
yeares. They saye the[y] haue beene burned and spoyled by the 
Earle of Desmond, and report well of the Earle of Vrmond. 

1T All these aboue wryten for the most part walke about Essex, 
Myddlesex, Sussex, Surrey, and Kent. Then let the reader iudge 
what number walkes in other Shieres, I feare me to great a number, 
if they be well vnderstande. 

Deaf 27, back] 1 Here followyth their pelting speche. 1 

HEre I set before the good Reader the leud, lousey language of 
these lewtering Luskes and lasy Lorrels, where with they 
bye and sell the common people as they pas through the 
countrey. Whych language they terme Peddelars Frenche, 
a vnknowen toung onely, but to these bold, beastly, bawdy 
Beggers, and vaine Vacabondes, being halfe myngled with 
Englyshe, when it is famyliarlye talked, and fyrste placinge thinges 
by their proper names as an Introduction to this peuyshe speeche. 



Nab, 
a head. 


a pratling chete, 
a tounge. 


quaromes, 
a body. 


Nabchet, 
a hat or cap. 


Crashing chetes, 
teeth. 


prat, 
a buttocke. 


Glaisyers, 

eyes. 


Hearing chetes, 
eares. 


stampes, 
legges. 


a smelling chete, 
a nose. 


fambles, 
handes. 


a caster, 
a cloke. 


gan, 
a mouth. 


a fambling chete, 
a rynge on thy hand. 

1 B. omits. 


a togeman, 
a cote. 





HARMAN. PEDDELARS PRENOHE. 83 


a commission, 


quier, 


a prauncer, 


a shierte. 


nought. 


a horse. 


drawers, 


a gage, 


autem, 


hosen. 


a quarte pot. 


a church. 


stampers, 


a skew, 


Salomon, 


shooes. 


a cuppe. 


a alter or masse. 


a mofling chete, 


pannam, 1 


patrico, 


a napkyn. 


bread. 


a priest. 


a belly chete, 


cassan, 


nosegent, 


an apern. 


cheese. 


a Nunne. 


dudes, 


yaram, 2 


a gybe, 


clothes. 


mylke. 


a writinge. 


a lag of dudes, 


lap, 


a Iarke, 


a bucke of clothes. 


butter milke or whey. 


a seale. 


a slate or slates, 


[leaf 28] pek, 


a ken, 


a sheete or shetes. 


meate. 


a house. 


lybbege, 


poppelars, 


a staulinge ken, 


a bed. 


porrage. 


a house that wyll re- 


bunge, 


ruff pek, 


ceaue stolen ware. 


a pursse. 


baken. 


a bousing ken, 


lowre, 


a grunting chete or a 


a ale house. 

a Lypken, 
a house to lye in. 


monye. 
mynt, 


patricos kynchen, 
apyg. 


golde. 


a cakling chete, 
a cocke or capon. 


a Lybbege, 


a bord, 


a bedde. 


a shylling. 




glymmar, 


halfe a borde, 


a margery prater, 
ft hen 


fyre. 


sixe pence. 




Rome bouse. 


flaasr. 


a Eoger or tyb of the 


wyne. 


a groate. 


buttery, 
a Goose. 


lage, 


a wyn, 




water. 


a penny. 


a quakinge chete or a 


a skypper, 


a make, 


red shanke, 
a dr „ke or ducke. 


a barne. 


a halfepeny. 




strommell, 


bowse, 


grannam, 


strawe. 


drynke. 


corne. 


a gentry cofes kera, 


bene, 


a lowhinge chete, 


A noble or gentleman* 


good. 


a Cowe. 


house. 


benshyp, 


a bletinge chete, 


a gygger, 


very good. 


a calfe or sheepe. 


a doore. 



1 The 1573 ed. reads Yannam 
B. reads yarvm. The 1573 ed. reads Param 



84 



HARMAN. ROGUES : THEIR PELTING SPECHE. 



bufe, 
a dogge. 

the lightmans, 
the daye. 

the darkemans, 
the nyght. 

Rome vyle, 
London. 

dewse a vyle, 
the countrey. 

Eome mort, 
the Quene. 

a gentry cofe, 
a noble or gentlemaw. 

a gentry morte, 
A noble or gentle woman. 

the quyer cuffyn, ' 
the Iusticer of peace. 

the harman heck, 
the Counstable. 

the harmans, 
the stockes. 

Quyerkyn, 
a pryson house. 

Quier crampringes, 
boltes or fetters. 

tryninge, 
hanginge. 

chattes, 
the gallowes. 



the hygh pad, 
the hygh waye. 

the ruffmans, 
the wodes or bushes. 

a smellinge chete, 
a garden or orchard. 

crassinge chetes, 

apels, peares, or anye 
other frute. 
to fylche, to beate, to 

stryke, to robbe. 2 

to nyp a houng, 
to cut a pursse. 

To skower the cramp- 
rings, [leaf 28, back] 
to weare boltes or fetters. 

to heue a hough, 
to robbe or rifle a boew- 
eth. 

to cly the gerke, 
to be whypped. 

to cutte henle, 3 
to speake gently. 

to cutte bene whydds, 
to speake or geue good 
wordes. 

to cuttequyrewhyddes, 
to geue euell wordes or 
euell language. 

to cutte, 
to saye. 



to towre, 
to see. 

to bowse, 
to drynke. 

to maunde, 
to aske or requyre. 

to stall, 
to make or ordaine. 

to cante, 
to speake. 

to myll a ken, 
to robbe a house. 

to prygge, 
to ryde. 

to dup the gyger, 
to open the doore. 

to couch a hogshead, 
to lye downe and sleepe. 

to nygle, 
to haue to do with a 
woman carnally. 

stow you, 
holde your peace. 

bynge a waste, 
go you hence. 

to the ruffian, 
to the deuell. 

the ruffian cly the, 
the deuyll take thee. 



1F The vpright Cofe canteth to the Eoge. 4 

The vpright man speaketh to the Roge. 

VPRIGHTMAN. 6 

Bene Lightmans to thy quarromes, in what lipken hast thou 
lypped in this darkemans, whether in a lybbege or in the strummell 1 

1 custyn. B. 

2 For these two lines printed in small type, the 1573 edition reads, 

To fylche 
to robbe 
lie. B. ' Roger. B. B man. B. 



HARMAN. THE VPRIGHT COFE CANTETH TO THE ROGE. 85 

God morrowe to thy body, in what house hast thou lyne in all night, 
whether in a bed, or in the strawe? 

ROGE. 

I couched a hogshead in a Skypper this darkemans. 
I layd ' me dovvne to sleepe in a barne this night. 

VPRIGHT MAN. 2 

I towre the strummel trine vpon thy nabchet 3 and Togman. 
I see the strawe hang vpon thy cap and coate. 

ROGE. 

I saye by the Salomon I will lage it of with a gage of benebouse ; 
then cut to my nose watch. 

I sweare by the masse 4 , I wull washe it of with a quart of good drynke ; 
[leaf 20] s then saye to me what thou wylt. 

Man. Why, hast thou any lowre in thy bonge to bouse ? 
Why, hast thou any money in thy purse to drinke ? 

Eoge. But a flagge, a wyn, and a make. 

But a grot, a penny, and a halfe penny. 

Man. Why, where is the kene that hath the bene bouse 1 
where is the house that hath good drinke 1 

Roge. A bene mort hereby at the signe of the prauncer. 
A good wyfe here by at the signe of the hors. 

Man. I cutt it is quyer buose, I bousd a flagge the laste dark 
mans. 
I saye it is small and naughtye drynke. I dranke a groate there 
the last night. 

Eoge. But bouse there a bord, and thou shalt haue beneship. 
But drinke there a shyllinge, and thou shalt haue very good. 

Tower ye yander is the kene, dup the gygger, and maund that is 
bene shyp. 

Se you, yonder is the house, open the doore, and aske for the best. 

1 laye. B. 2 B. omits vpright. 3 nabches. B. 

4 inasst. B. 5 This leaf is supplied in MS. in Mr Huth's edition. 



86 HaRMAN. the vpright cofe canteth to the roge. 

Man. This bouse is as benshyp 1 as rome bouse. 
This drinke is as good as wyne. 

Now I tower that bene bouse makes nase nabes. 
Now I se that good drinke makes a dronken heade. 

Maunde of this morte what bene pecke is in her ken. 
Aske of this wyfe what good meate shee hath in her house. 

Roge. She hath a Cacling chete, a grunting chete, ruff Pecke, 
cassan, and popplarr of yarum. 
She hath a hen, a pyg, baken, chese and mylke porrage. 

Man. That is beneshyp to our watche. 
That is very good for vs. 

Now we haue well bousd, let vs strike some chete. 
Nowe we haue well dronke, let us steale some thinge. 

Yonder dwelleth a quyere cuffen, it were beneship to myll hym. 
Yonder dwelleth a hoggeshe and choyrlyshe man, it were very well donne 
to robbe him. 

Roge. Nowe bynge we a waste to the hygh pad, the ruffmanes 
is by. 
Naye, let vs go hence to the hygh waye, the wodes is at hand. 

Man. So may we happen on the Harmanes, and cly the Iarke, 
or to the quyerken and skower quyaer cramprings, and so to tryning 
on the chates. 

[leaf 29, back] So we maye chaunce to set in the stockes, eyther be whypped, 
eyther had to prison house, and there be shackled with bolttes and fetters, and 
then to hange on the gallowes. 

Gerry gan, the ruffian clye thee. 

A torde in thy mouth, the deuyll take thee. 

Man. "What, stowe your bene, cofe, and cut benat whydds, and 
byng we to rome vyle, to nyp a bong ; so shall we haue lowre for the 
bousing ken, and when we byng back to the deuseauyel, we wyll 
fylche some duddes of the Ruffemans, or myll the ken for a lagge of 
dudes. 

What, holde your peace, good fellowe, and speake better wordes, and go 
we to London, to cut a purse ; then shal we haue money for the ale house, and 

1 good in the 1573 ed. 



HARMAN. NYCHOLAS BLUNTb's TRICKS. 87 

when wee come backe agayne into the sountry, wee wyll steale some lynnen 
clothes of one 1 hedges, or robbe some house for a bucke of clothes. 

IT By this lytle ye maye holy ; ,nd fully vnderstande their vntowarde 
talke and pelting speache, myj\glede without measure ; and as they 
haue begonne of late to deuyre some new termes for certien thinges, 
so wyll they in tyme alter th<s, and deuyse as euyll or worsse. This 
language nowe beinge kno"? en and spred abroade, yet one thinge 
more I wyll ad vnto, not meaninge to Englyshe the same, because I 
learned the same 2 of a shameles Doxe, but for the phrase of speche 
I set it forth onely. 

There was a proude patiico and a nosegent, he tooke his Iockam 
in his famble, and a wappinge he went, he dokte the Dell, hee pryge 
to praunce, he byngd a waste into the darke mans, he fylcht the 
Cofe, with out any fylch man. 

fHyle this second Impression was in printinge, it fortuned 
that Nycholas Blunte, who called hym selfe Nycholan 
Gennyns, a counterefet Cranke, that is spoken of in this 
booke, was fonde begging in the whyte fryers on Newe yeares day 
last past, Anno domini .1567, and commytted vnto a offescer, who 
caried hym vnto the depetye of the ward, which co??imytted hym 
vnto the counter ; and as the counstable and a nother would haue 
caried hym thether, This counterfet Cranke ran awaye, but one 
lyghter of fote then the other ouer toke hym, and so leading him 
to the counter, where he remayned three days, and from thence to 
Brydewell, where before the maister 3 he had his dysgysed aparell 
put vpon hym, which was monstrous to beholde, And after stode in 
Chepesyde with the same apparil on a scafold. 4 

A Stockes to staye sure, and safely detayne, [ieaf3oj 

Lasy lewd Leutterers, that lawes do offend, 

Impudent persons, thus punished with payne, 
Hardlye for all this, do meane to amende. 

1 The 1573 ed. has some 

2 Instead of "the same," the 1573 ed. reads that 
8 maistcrs. B. 

4 This paragraph is omitted in the ed. of 1573 ; but see note, ante, p. 56. 



88 



HARMAN. the stockbs. 




o-o 




<ko^>- oj 




Fetters or shackles serue to make fast, 
Male malefactours, that on myschiefe do muse, 

Vntyll the learned lawes do quite or do cast, 
Such suttile searchers, as all euyll do vse. 




HARM AN. THE ROGE's END. 



89 



A whyp is a whysker, that wyll wrest out blood, cif3o,bk] 
Of backe and of body, beaten right well. 

Of all the other it doth the most good, 
Experience techeth, and they can well tell. 








IF dolefull daye ! nowe death draweth nere, 
Hys bytter styng doth pearce me to the harte. 



90 HARMAN. THE COUNTERFET CRANKE. 

I take my leaue of all that be here, 
Nowe piteously playing this tragicall parte. 

Neither stripes nor teachinges in tyme could conuert, 
wherefore an ensample let me to you be, 

And all that be present, nowe praye you for me. 




1 IT This counterfet Cranke, nowe vew and beholde, 

Placed in pyllory, as all maye well se : 
This was he, as you haue hard the tale tolde, 

before recorded with great suttylte, 
Ibused manye with his inpiete, 

his lothsome attyre, in most vgly manner, 
was through London caried with dysplayd banner. 2 

1 B. omits this stanza and has inserted the following lines under the cut. 
THis is the fygure of the counterfet Cranke, that is spoken of in this boke 
of Roges, called Nycholas Blunt other wyse Nycholas Gennyngs. His tale is 
in the xvii. lefe [pp. 55-6] of this booke, which doth showe vnto all that reades 
it, woundrous suttell and crafty deseit donne of and by him. 

2 This verse is omitted in the edition of 1573 ; also the wood-cut 
preceding it. 



HARM AN. CONCLUSION. 91 

Thus I conclude my bolde Beggars booke, 
That all estates most playnely maye see, 
As in a glasse well pollyshed to looke, 
Their double demeaner in eche degree. 
Their lyues, their language, their names as they be, 
That with this warning their myndes may be warmed, 
To amend their mysdeedes, and so lyue vnharmed. 



FINIS. 

U Imprinted at London, in Fletestrete, at the signe of the Faulcon 
by Wylliam gryffith. Anno Domni. 1567. ' 

1 B. adds 'the eight of January'. (This would make the year 1568 accord- 
ing to the modern reckoning. Harman's 'New Yeares day last past, Anno 
doniini 1567', p. 86, must also be 156|.) 



92 






[Lansdowne MS. 98, leaf 210.] 

A sermon made by Parson Haben vppon a mold hill at Hartely 
Kow, 1 at the Comaundment of vij. theves, whoe, after they had 
robbed him, Comaunded him to Preache before them. 

I Marvell that euerye man will seme to dispraise th every e, and 
thinke the doers thereof worthye of Death, when it is a thinge that 
Cometh nere vnto vertve, and is vsed of all men, of all sortes and in 
all countryes, and soe comaunded and allowed of god himselfe • 
which thinge, because I cannot soe sapiently shewe vnto you a 2 soe 
shorte a tyme and in soe shorte a place, I shall desire you, gentle 
theves, to take in good parte this thinge that at this tyme Cometh 
to minde, not misdoubtinge but you of jour good knowledge are 
able to ad more vnto the same then this which I at this tyme shall 
shewe vnto you. fhrst, fortitude and stoutnes, Courage, and boldnes 
of stomacke, is Compted of some a vertue ; which beinge graunted, 
Whoe is he then that will not Iudge theves vertuous, most stoute, 
most hardye ] I most, withoute feare. As for stealinge, that is a 
thinge vsuall : — whoe stealeth not? ffor not only you that haue 
besett me, but many other in many places. Men, Woemen, and 
Children, Eiche and poore, are dailye of that facultye, As the hange 

1 MS Rew. Hartley Eow is on the South-Western road past Bagshot. 
The stretch of flat land there was the galloping place for coaches that had to 
make up time. 

3 in 



93 



% SUtxmtm in ^xvtm of Cjjirfxes 
atttr C|mteg> 



[MS. Cott. Vesp. A xxv. leaf 53.] 

A sermon) of parson Hyberdyne which, he made att the commande- 
mente of certen theves, after thay had Eobbed hym, besydes 
hartlerowe, in hamshyer, in the feldes, ther standinge vpow a 
hyft where as a wynde myll had bene, in the presens of the 
theves that robbed hym, as followithe. 

the sermon as followethe 
I greatly mervett that any man wyft presume to dysprase 
theverie, and thynke the dooeres therof to be woorthy of deathe, con- 
syderinge itt is a thynge that cumithe nere vnto vertue, beinge vsed 
of many in aft contries, And commendid and allowed of god hym 
selfe ; the which thinge, by-cause I cannot compendiously shew vnto 
yow at soo shorte a warnynge and in soo sharpe a wether, I shaft 
desyer yow, gentle audiens of theves, to take in good parte thes 
thynges that at thys tyme cumythe to my mynde, not mysdowtynge 
but that yow of yowre good knowledge are able to add mutch more 
vnto ytt thera this which. I shaft nowe vtter vnto yow. ffyrst, forti- 
tude, and stowtnes of corage, and also bowldnes of minde, is com- 
mendyd of sume men to be a vertue ; which., beinge grawnted, who 
is yt then tfAat wyft not iudge theves to be vertused 1 for thay be of 
aft men moete stowte and hardy, and moste witftowte feare; for 
thevery is a thynge moste vsuatt emonge aft men, for not only yow 
that be here presente, but many other in dyuerse places, bothe men 
and wemen and chyldren, rytche and poore, are dayly of thys facultye, 



94 parson haben's SERMON. LANDS. MS. 98. 

man of Tibome can testifye. That it is allowed of god himselfe, it 
is euident in many storyes of the Scriptures. And if you liste to 
looke in the whole Course of the bible, you shall finde that theves 
haue bin belovid of god . ffor Iacobe, when he Came oute of Meso- 
potamia, did steale his vncles lambesj the same Iacobe stale his 
brother Esawes blessinge ; and that god saide, " I haue chosen Iacob 
and refused Esawe." The Children of Isarell, when they came 
oute of Egippe, didd steale the Egippsians Iewells and ringes, and 
god comaunded the[m] soe to doe. David, in the dayes of Aheme- 
l[e]ch the preiste, came into the temple and stole awaye the shewe 
bread ; And yet god saide, "this is a man accordinge to myne owne 
harte." Alsoe Christe himsellfe, when he was here vppon earth, did 
take an asse, a Colte, which was none of his owne. And you knowe 
that god saide, " this is my nowne sone, in whome I delighte." 

Thus maye you see that most of all god delighteth in theves. I 
marvell, therefore, that men can despise jour lives, when that you 
are in all poynts almost like vnto Christe ; for Christ hade noe dwell- 
inge place, — noe more haue you. Christe, therefore, at the laste, was 
laide waite for in all places, — and soe are you. Christe alsoe at the 
laste was called for, — and soe shall you be. He was condemned, — 
soe shall you be. Christe was hanged, — soe shall you be. He de- 
scended into hell, — so shall you. But in one pointe you differ. He 
assendid into heaven, — soe shall you never, without gods mercye, 
Which god graunte for his mercyes sake ! Toe whome, with the soraie 
and the holye goste, be all honowr and glory for euer and euer. 
Amen ! 

After this good sermon ended, which Edefied them soe 
muche, Theye hadd soe muche Compassion on him, That 
they gave him all his mony agayne, and vij s more for 
his sermon. 



PARSON HYBERDYNE 8 SERMON. MS. COTT. VESP. A 25. 95 

as the hangman of tyhoorne can testyfye : and that yt is allowed of 
god hym selfe, as it is euydente in many storayes of [the] scriptures ; 
for yf yow looke in the hole cowrse of the hy hie, yow shall fynde 
that theves haue hene heloued of gode ; for Iacohe, whan he came 
owte of Mesopotamia, dyd steale his vncle lahanes kyddes ; the same 
Iacobe also dyd steale his brothe[r] Esaues hlessynge ; and yett god 
sayde, " I haue chosen Iacobe and refused Esau." The chyldren of 
ysraelt, whaw they came owte of Egypte, dyd steale the egiptians 
iewelles of syluer and gowlde, as god coramawnded them soo to doo. 
Davyd, in the days of Abiather the hygh preste, did cume into the 
temple and dyd steale the hallowed breede ; and yet god saide, 
" Dauid is a man euen after myne owne harte." Chryste hym selfe, 
whan he was here on the arthe, did take an asse and a cowlte that was 
none of hys ; and yow knowe that god said of hym, " this is my 
beloued soone, in whome I delighte." thus yow may see that god 
delightithe in theves. but moste of alt I marvelt that men can 
dispyse yow theves, where as in alt poyntes almoste yow be lyke vnto 
christe hym selfe : for chryste had noo d welly nge place ; noo more 
haue yow. christe wente frome towne to towne ; and soo doo yow. 
christe was hated of alt men, sauynge of his freendes ; and soo are 
yow. christe was laid waite vpon in many places ; and soo are yow. 
chryste at the lengthe was cawght ; and soo shalt yow bee. he was 
browght before the iudges ; and soo shalt yow bee. he was accused ; 
and soo shalt yow bee. he was condempned ; and soo shatt yow 
bee. he was hanged ; and so shatt yow bee. he wente downe into 
hett ; and soo shatt yow dooe. mary ! in this one thynge yow dyffer 
frome hym, for he rose agayne and assendid into heauen ; and soo 
shalt yow neuer dooe, withowte godes greate mercy, which, gode 
grawnte yow ! to whome with the father, and the soone, and the 
hooly ghoste, bee alt honore and glorye, for euer and euer. Amen ! 

Thus his sermon beinge endyd, they gatie hym his money agayne 
that thay tooke frome hym, and ij s to drynke for hys sermon. 

finis. 



[T/ie parts added to HARMAN'S CAUEAT to inakt] 
THE 

Groundworke of Conny-catching ; 

the manner of their Pedlers- French, and the meanes 

to vnderstand the same, with the cunning slights 

of the Counterfeit Cranke. 

Therein are handled the practises of the Visiter, 

the Fetches 

0f tk Shifter anfo Rufflar, % fctftttSttf fytXX Doxes, % Mm 

of Priggers, ijjt minus of Ibc bast lowering JTosels, anb 

% meanes of euerg Blacke-Art-mans shifts, ojit^ 

% reproofe of all tjuir binellisg 

practises. 

gone bg a $ustiee of ||eare of great antjjoritie, fojjo ^atb 

gab tlje eomining of braers of %m. 



Brinteb at $Tonbon bg Iohn Danter for William Barley, anb are to 

be solb at his sJjop at tlje bpper nrb of Orations streete, 

oner against $eaben-hall, 1/592. 

1 



THE GROUNDWORKS OF CONNY-CATCHING. 



99 



[leaf 2] 



To the gentle Readers health. 



Gentle reader, as there hath beene diuers bookes set forth, as 
warnings for all men to shun the craftie coossening sleights of these 
both men and women that haue tearmed themselues Conny-catchers ; 
so amongst the rest, bestow the reading ouer of this booke, wherin 
thou shalt find the ground-worke of Conny-eatching, with the manner 
of their canting speech, how they call all things in their language, 
the horrible coossening of all these loose varlots, and the names of 
them in their seuerall degrees, 



First, Tlie Visiter. 

2. The Shifter. 

3. The Rvfflar. 

4. The Rogue. 

5. The wild Rogue. 

6. A prigger of Prauncers. 

7. A Pallyard. 

8. A Frater. 

9. An Abraham man. 

10. A freshioater Marriner, or 

Wliipiacke. 

11. A counter fait Oranke. 



12. A Dommerar. 

13. A Dronken Tinkar. 

14. A Swadder, or Pedler. 

15. A Iarkeman fy Patrico. 

1 6. A demander for glimmar. 

17. The baudy Basket. 

18. An Autem Mort. 

19. A walking Mort. 

20. A Doxe. 

21. A Dell. 

22. Kinchin Mort. 

23. A Kinchin Co. 



All these playing their coossenings in their kinde are here set 
downe, which neuer yet were disclosed in anie booke of Conny- 
catchinEr. 



100 SHIFTERS AT INNS. THE VISITER. 

lieafa.back] A new kind of shifting sleight, practised at this day by 
some of this Cony-catching crue, in Innes or vitualling 
houses, but especially in F aires or Markets, 
which came to my hands since the im- 
printing of the rest. 

Whereas of late diuers coossening deuises and deuilish deceites 

haue heene discouered, wherby great inconueniences haue beene 

eschewed, which otherwise might haue beene the vtter ouerthrowe of 

diuers honest men of all degrees, I thought this, amongst the rest, 

not the least worthie of noting, especially of those that trade to 

Faires and Markets, that therby being warned, they may likewise be 

armed, both to see the deceit, and shun the daunger. These shifters 

will come vnto an Inne or vittailing house, that is most vsed in the 

towne, and walke vp and downe ; and if there come any gentleman 

or other, to lay vp either cloke, sword, or any other thing woorth the 

hauing, then one of this crue taketh the marks of the thing, or at 

least the token the partie giueth them : anone, after he is gone, he 

likewise goeth forth, and with a great countenance commeth in againe 

to the mayde or seruant, calling for what another left : if they doubt 

to deliuer it, then hee frets, and calles them at his pleasure, and tels 

them the markes and tokens : hauing thus done, hee blames their for- 

getfulnes, and giues them a couple of pence to buy them pinnes, 

bidding them fetch it straight, and know him better the next time, 

wherewith they are pleasd, and he possest of his pray. Thus one 

gotte a bagge of Cheese the last Sturbridge Faire ; for in such places 

(as a reclaimd fellow of that crue confessed) they make an ordinary 

practise of the same. 

[The Pedler's French follows, taken word for word from Harman's 
book, p. 82-7 above.] 

Peafr.] THE VISITER. 

An honest youth, not many yeares since, seruant in this City, had 
leaue of his master at whitsontide to see his friends, who dwelt some 
fifty miles from London. It hapned at a Country wake, his mother 
and hee came acquainted with a precise scholler, that, vnder colour 
of strickt life, hath bin reputed for that hee is not : hee is well 



THE GHOUNDWOHKE OF UONNY-CATCHING. 101 

knowen in Paiiles Churchyard, and hath heene lately a visiting in 
Essex ; for so he presumes to tearme his cosening walks : and there- 
fore wee will call him here a Visiter. This honest seeming man 
must ncedes (sith his iourney lay to London) stay at the yong mans 
mothers all the holy daies : where as on his desert hee was kindly 
vsed \ at length, the young man, hailing receiued his mother's bless- 
ing, with other his friendes giftes, amounting to some ten poundes, 
was to this hypocrite as to a faithful guide committed, and toward 
London they ride : by the way this Visiter discourses how excellent 
insight he had in Magick, to recouer by Art anything lost or stolne. 
Well, to sant Albons they reach ; there they sup together, and, after 
the carowsing of some quarts of wine, they go to bed, where they 
kindly sleepe, — the Visiter slily, but the young man soundly. Short 
tale to make — out of his bed-fellow's sleeue this Visiter conuaid his 
twenty Angels, besides some other od siluer, hid it closely, and so 
fell to his rest. Morning comes — vp gets this couple — immediately 
the money was mist, much adoo was made ; the Chamberlaine with 
sundry other seruants examined ; and so hot the contention, that the 
good man, for the discharge of his house, was sending for a Constable 
to haue them both first searcht, his seruants Chests after. In the 
meane time the Visiter cals the yong man aside, and bids him neuer 
grieue, but take horse ; and he warrants him, ere they be tliree miles 
out of towne, to helpe him to his money by Art, saying : — " In these 
Innes ye see how we shall be out-faced, and, beeing vnknowne, how 
euer we be wrongd, get little remedy." The yong man, in good 
hope, desired him to pay the reckoning, which done, together they 
ride. Being some two miles from the towne, they ride out of the 
ordinary way : there he tels this youth how vnwilling hee was to 
enter into the action, but that it was lost in his company, and so 
forth. Well, a Circle was made, wondrous words were vsed, many 
muttrings made : at length hee cries out, — " vnder a greene turfe, by 
the East side of an Oake ; goe thither, goe thither." This thrice he 
cryed so ragingly, as the yuong man gest him mad, and was with 
feare almost beside himself. At length, pausing, quoth this Visiter, 
" heard ye nothing cry 1 " " Cry ! " said the yong man, " yes ; 
[leaf 5, backj you cride so as, for twise ten pound, I would not heare ye 



102 A SHIFTER DESCRIBED. 

again." " Then," quoth he, " 'tis all well, if ye remember the 
words." The yong man repeated them. With that this shifter said, 
" Go to the furthest Oke in the high- way towards S. Albons, and 
vnder a greene turfe, on the hither side, lyes your mony, and a note 
of his name that stole it. Hence I cannot stirre till you returne ; 
neyther may either of our horses be vntide for that time : runne yee 
must not, but keepe an ordinary pace." Away goes the yong man 
gingerly ; and, being out of sight, this copesmate takes his cloke-bag, 
wherein was a faire sute of apparel, and, setting spurres to his horse, 
was, ere the Nbuice returned, ridde cleane out of his view. The 
yong man, seeing himselfe so coossened, made patience his best 
remedie, tooke his horse, and came to London, where yet it was neuer 
his lucke to meet this visiter. 

A SHIFTER. 

A Shifter, not long since, going ordinarily booted, got leaue of a 
Carrier to ride on his owne hackney a little way from London, who, 
comming to the Inne where the Carier that night should lodge, 
honestly set vp the horse, and entred the hal, where were at one 
table some three and thirty clothiers, all returning to their seuerall 
countries. Vsing, as he could, his curtesie, and being Gentleman- 
like attirde, he was at all their instance placed at the vpper end by 
the hostesse. After hee had a while eaten, he fel to discourse with 
such pleasance, that all the table were greatly delighted therewith. 
In the midst of supper enters a noise of musitions, who with their 
instruments added a double delight. For them hee requested his 
hostesse to laye a shoulder of mutton and a couple of capons to the 
fire, for which he would pay, and then mooued in their behalfe to 
gather. Among them a noble was made, which he fingring, was well 
blest ; for before he had not a crosse, yet he promist to make it vp 
an angel. To be short, in comes the reckoning, which (by reason of 
the fine fare and excesse of wine) amounted to each mans halfe crown. 
Then hee requested his hostesse to prouide so many possets of sacke, 
as would furnish the table, which he would bestow on the Gentlemen 
to requite their extraordinary costs : and iestingly askt if she would 



THE GR0UNDW0RKE OF CONNY-CATCHINQ. 103 

make him her deputie to gather the reckoning ; she graunted, and he 
did so : and on a sodaine, (faining to hasten his hostease with the 
possets) he tooke his cloke, and, finding fit time, hee slipt out of 
doores, leauing the guestes and their hostesse to a new reckoning, 
and the musitians to a good supper, hut they paid for the sauce. 
This iest some vntruly attribute to a man of excellent parts about 
London, but he is slandered : the party that performed it hath scarce 
any good qualitie to Hue. Of these sort I could set downe a great 
number, but I leaue you now vnto those which by Maister Harman 
are discouered. 

[Then follows Harman's book, commencing with a Euffelar, p. 
29. The woodcut of Nicolas Blunt and Nicolas Geninges (p. 50, 
above) is given, and another one representing the Cranke after he 
was stripped and washed. The volume ends with the chapter 
" Their vsage in the night," p. 76-8 above, — the woodcuts and verses 
at the end of Harman's book being omitted in the present Ground- 
worhe of Conny-catching. The last words in the latter are, " And 
this must the poore Farmer suffer, or els they threaten to burne him, 
and all that he hath."] 



NOTES. 



p. vii. ix, p. 19, 20. Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, and her parish. 
The manor of Erith was granted to Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, 
by Henry VIII. in the 36th year of his reign, a.d. 1544-5. The Countess 
died in 1567, and was buried in the parish church of Erith. " The 
manor of Eryth becoming part of the royal revenue, continued in the 
crown till K. Henry VIII. in his 36th year, granted it in fee to Elizabeth, 
relict of George, Earl of Shrewsbury, by the description of the manor, 
of Eryth, alias Lymes, with all its members and appurts., and also all 
that wood, called Somersden, lying in Eryth, containing 30 acres ; and a 
wood, called Ludwood, there, containing 50 acres ; and a wood, called 
Fridayes-hole, by estimation, 20 acres, to hold of the King in capite by 
knight's service. 1 She was the second wife of George, Earl of Shrews- 

1 Rot. Esch. ejus an, pt. 6. 



104 



NOTES TO HARMAN, ETC. 



bury, Knight of the Garter, 1 who died July 26, anno 33 K. Henry VIII., 2 
by whom she had issue one son, John, who died young ; and Anne, 
married to Peter Compton, son and heir of Sir Wm. Compton, Knt., who 
died in the 35th year of K. Henry VIII., under age, as will be mentioned 
hereafter. Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, in Easter Term, in the 
4th year of Q. Elizabeth, levied a fine of this manor, with the passage 
over the Thames ; and dying in the tenth year of that reign, anno 1567, 3 
lies buried under a sumptuous tomb, in this church. Before her death 
this manor, &c, seem to have been settled on her only daughter Anne, 
then wife of Wm. Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, and widow of Peter 
Compton, as before related, who was in possession of it, with the passage 
over the Thames, anno 9 Q. Elizabeth." — Hasted's History of Kent, vol. 
i. p. 196. 

p. ix. In Lambarde's Perambulation of Kent (edit. 1826), p. 66, he 
mentions " Thomas Harman" as being one of the " Kentish writers." 

Lambarde, in the same volume, p. 60, also mentions " Abacuk Har- 
man " as being the name of one " of suche of the nobilitie and gentrie, 
as the Heralds recorded in their visitation in 1574." 

There is nothing about Harman in Mr Sandys's book on Gavelkind, 
&c, Consuetudines Cantiw. To future inquirero perhaps the following 
book may be of use : 

" Biblioiheca Cantiana : A Bibliographical Account of what has been 
published on the History, Topography, Antiquities, Customs, and Family 
History of the County of Kent." By John Russell Smith. 

p. 1, 12. The .xxv. Orders of Knaues. — Mr Collier gives an entry in 
the Stationers' Registers in 1585-6 : " Edward White. Rd. of him, for 
printinge xxij tl ballades at iiij d a peece — vij" iiij d , and xiiij. more at 

ij d a peece ij 8 iiij d ix 8 viij d " And No. 23 is " The 

xxv tie orders of knaves." — Stat. Reg. ii. 207. 

p. 22. The last Duke of Buckingham was beheaded. — Edward Stafford, 
third Duke of Buckingham, one of Henry VHI'e and Wolsey's victims, 
was beheaded on Tower Hill, May 17, 1521, for 'imagining' the king's 
death. (' The murnynge of Edward Duke of Buckyngham ' was one of 
certain ' ballettes ' licensed to Mr John Wallye and Mrs Toj^e in 1557-8, 
says Mr J. P. Collier, Stat. Reg. i. 4.) His father (Henry Stafford) be- 
fore him suffered the same fate in 1483, having been betrayed by his 
servant Bannister after his unsuccessful rising in Brecon. — Percy Polio 
Ballads, ii. 253. 

1 This lady was one of the daughters and co-heirs of Sir Richard Walden, 
of this parish, Knt., and the Lady Margaret his wife, who both lie buried in 
this church [of Erith]. He was, as I take it, made Knight of the Bath in the 
17th year of K. Henry VII., his estate being then certified to be iOl. per 
annum, being the son of Richard Walden, esq. Sir Richard and Elizabeth his 
wife both lie buried here. MSS. Bering. 

2 Dugd. Bar. vol. i. p. 332. 

s Harman's dedication of his book to her was no doubt written in 1566, 
and his 2nd edition, in both states, published before the Countess's death. 



NOTES TO HARMAN, ETC. 10/) 

p. 23. Egyptians. The Statute 22 Hen. VIII. c. 10 is An Acte con- 
ccrnyny Egypsyans. After enumerating the frauds committed by the 
" outlandysshe people callynge themselfes Egyptians," the first section 
provides that they shall be punished by Imprisonment and loss of goods, 
and be deprived of the benefit of 8 Hen. VI. c. 29. " de medietate 
linguae." The second section is a proclamation for the departure from 
the realm of all such Egyptians. The third provides that stolen goods 
shall be restored to their owners ; and the fourth, that one moiety of the 
goods seized from the Egyptians shall be given to the seizer. 

p. 48, 1. 5. The Lord Sturtons man ; and when he was executed. Charles 
Stourton, 7th Baron, 1548— 1557 :—" Which Charles, with the help of 
four of his own servants in his own house, committed a shameful 
murther upon one Hargill, and his son, with whom he had been long at 
variance, and buried their Carcasses 50 foot deep in the earth, thinking 
thereby to prevent the discovery ; but it coming afterwards to light, he 
had sentence of death passed upon him, which he suffer'd at Salisbury, 
the 6th of March, Anno 1557, 4 Phil. & Mary, by an Halter of Silk, in 
respect of his quality." — The Peerage of England, vol. ii. p. 24 (Lond., 
1710). 

p. 77. Saint Quinten's. Saint Quinten was invoked against coughs, 
says Brand, ed. Ellis, 1841, i. 196. 

p. 77. The Three Cranes in the Vintry. « Then the Three Cranes' 
lane, so called, not only of a sign of three cranes at a tavern door, but 
rather of three strong cranes of timber placed on the Vintry wharf by 
the Thames side, to crane up wines there, as is afore showed. This 
lane was of old time, to wit, the 9th of Richard II., called The Painted 
Tavern lane, of the tavern being painted." — Stow's Survey of London, 
ed. by Thorns, p. 90. 

" The Three Cranes was formerly a favourite London sign. With 
the usual jocularity of our forefathers, an opportunity for punning could 
not be passed ; so, instead of the three cranes, which in the vintry used 
to lift the barrels of wine, three birds were represented. The Three Cranes 
in Thames Street, or in the vicinity, was a famous tavern as early as the 
reign of James I. It was one of the taverns frequented by tlie wits in 
Ben Jonson's time. In one of his plays he says : — 

1 A pox o' these pretenders ! to wit, your Three Cranes, Mitre and Mer- 
maid men ! not a corn of true salt, not a grain of right mustard among 
them all ! ' — Bartholomew Fair, act i. sc. 1. 

" On the 23rd of January, 166^ Pepya suffered a strong mortification 
of the flesh in having to dine at this tavern with some poor relations. 
The sufferings of the snobbish secretary must have been intense : — 

' By invitation to my uncle Fenner's, and where I found his new 
wife, a pitiful, old, ugly, ill-bred woman in a hatt, a mid-wife. Here 
were many of his, and as many of her, relations, sorry , mean people ; and 
after choosing our gloves, we all went over to the Three Cnmcs Tavcrne ; 



106 «OTES TO HARM AN, ETC. 

and though the best room of the house, in such a narrow dogghole we 
were crammed, and I believe we were near 40, that it made me loath my 
company and victuals, and a very poor dinner it was too.' 

" Opposite this tavern people generally left their boats to shoot the 
bridge, walking round to Billingsgate, where they would reenter them." 
— Hotten's History of Signboards, p. 204. 

p. 77. Saynt Iulyans in Thystellworth parish. ' Thistleworth, see 
Isleworth,' says Walker's Gazetteer, ed. 1801. That there might well 
have been a St Julyan's Inn there we learn from the following extract : 

" St. Julian, the patron of travellers, wandering minstrels, boatmen, 1 
&c, was a very common inn sign, because he was supposed to provide 
good lodgings for such persons. Hence two St Julian's crosses, in 
saltier, are in chief of the innholders' arms, and the old motto was : — 
4 When I was harbourless, ye lodged me.' This benevolent attention to 
travellers procured him the epithet of ' the good herbergeor,' and in 
France ' bon kerbet.' His legend in a MS., Bodleian, 1596, fol. 4, alludes 
to thiB : — 

' Therf ore yet to this day, thei that over lond wende, 
They biddeth Seint Julian, anon, that gode herborw he hem sende ; 
And Seint Julianes Pater Noster ofte seggeth also 
For his faders soule, and his moderes, that he hem bring therto.' 

And in ' Le dit des Heureux,' an old French fabliau : — 

* Tu as dit la patenotre 
Saint Julian a cest matin, 
Soit en Eoumans, soit en Latin ; 
Or tu seras bien ostile.' 

In mediasval French, L'hotel Saint Julien was synonymous with good 
cheer. 

' Sommes tuit vostre. 

Par Saint Pierre lo bon Apostre, 

L'ostel aurez Saint Julien,' 

says Mabile to her feigned uncle in the fabliau of ' Boivin de Provins ; * 
and a similar idea appears in ' Cocke Lorell's bote,' where the crew, after 
the entertainment with the ' relygyous women ' from the Stews' Bank, 
at Colman's Hatch, 

' Blessyd theyr shyppe when they had done, 
And dranke about a Saint Julyan's tonne.' 

Hotten's History of Signboards? p. 283. 

" Isleworth in Queen Elizabeth's time was commonly in conversation, 

1 Of pilgrims, and of whoremongers, say Brand and Sir H. Ellis (referring 
to the Hist, des Troubadours, torn. i. p. 11,) in Brand's Antiquities, ed. 1841, 
i. 202. Chaucer makes him the patron of hospitality, saying of the Frank- 
eleyn, in the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales, " Seynt Iulian he was in his 
contre." Mr Hazlitt, in his new edition of Brand, i. 303, notes that as early 
as the Ancren Riwle, ab. 1220 A.D., we have ' Surely they (the pilgrims) find 
St. Julian's inn. which wayfaring men diligently seek.' 



NOTES TO HARM AN, ETC. 107 

and sometimes in records, called Thistleworth." — Lysons' Environs of 
London, vol. iii. p. 79. 

p. 77. Mothered: ? Botherhithe. 

p. 77. The Kynges Barne, betwene Detforde and Bothered, can hardly 
be the great hall of Eltham palace. Lysons (Environs of London, iv. p. 
399) in 1796, says the hall was then used as a barn ; and in vol. vi. of 
the Archceologia, p. 367, it is called " King John's Barn." 

p. 77. Ketbrohe. Kidbrooke is marked in large letters on the east 
of Blackheath on the mordern Ordnance-map ; and on the road from 
Blackheath to Eltham are the villages or hamlets of Upper Kidbrooke 
and Lower Kidbrooke. 

"Kedbrooke lies adjoining to Charlton, on the south side of the 
London Boad, a small distance from Blackheath. It was antiently 
written Cicebroc, and was once a parish of itself, though now (1778 a.d.) 
it is esteemed as an appendage to that of Charlton." — Hasted's History 
of Kent, vol. i. p. 40. 

p. 100. Sturbridge Fair. Stourbridge, or Sturbich, the name of a 
common field, extending between Chesterton and Cambridge, near the 
little brook Sture, for about half a mile square, is noted for its fair, which 
is kept annually on September 19th, and continues a fortnight. It is 
surpassed by few fairs in Great Britain, or even in Europe, for traffic, 
though of late it is much lessened. The booths are placed in rows like 
streets, by the name[s] of which they are called, as Cheapside, &c, and 
are filled with all sorts of trades. The Duddery, an area of 80 or 100 
yards square, resembles Blackwell Hall. Large commissions are ne- 
gotiated here for all parts of England in cheese, woolen goods, wool, 
leather, hops, upholsterers' and ironmongers' ware, &c. &c. Sometimes 
50 hackney coaches from London, ply morning and night, to and from 
Cambridge, as well as all the towns round, and the very barns and 
stables are turned into inns for the accommodation of the poorer people. 
After the wholesale business is over, the country gentry generally flock 
in, laying out their money in stage-plays, taverns, music-houses, toys, 
puppet-shows, &c, and the whole concludes with a day for the sale of 
horses. This fair is under the jurisdiction of the University of Cam- 
bridge. — Walker's Gazetteer, ed. 1801. See Index to Brand's Antiquities. 



108 



INDEX 



Abraham men, those who feign 
madness, 3 ; one of them, named 
Stradlynge, 'the craftiest and moste 
dyssemblyngest knaue,' 47 

Altham, a curtall's wife, 4 

Arsenick, to make sores with, 44 

associate, accompany, 53 

Autem, a church, 67, 83 

Mortes, description of, 67 ; 

as chaste as Harman's ' Cowe/ 67 

Awdeley, Iohn, a printer, 1 

Awdeley's Vacabondes ; Har- 
man's references to, 20, 60 
Axiltrye, casting of the, 46 

baken, bacon, 3 

bandy banquet, whoring, 63 

bauer, 1 band, 52 

Bawd Phisicke, a cook, 1 4 

Bawdy baskets, description of, 65 ; 
a story of one who, with an upright 
man, spoiled a poor beggar of his 
money, 66 

beggar by inheritance, 42 

belly chere, food, 32 

belly chete, an apron, 83 

benat, better, 86 

bene, good, 83 

bene bowse, good drink, 59 

beneship, very well, 86 



benshyp, very good, 83, 86 
beray, dung, 13 ; dirty, 52 
beteled, 1 (betelled is deceived), 67 
Bethlem Hospital, 52, 53 
Blackheath, 77 

bletinge chete, a calf or sheep, 83 
Blunt, Mcolas, an upright man, 

50, 87 
bong, purse, 84, 86 
booget, a bag, 59 
bord, s shilling, 83 
, half a, sixpence, 83 

borsholders, 21, n., superior con- 
stables. See Halliwell's Glossary. 
bottell, bundle, truss, 72 
Bottomelye, Besse, a harlot, 75 
bousing ken, an ale-house, 83 
bowle, drink bowls of liquor, 32 

bowse, drink, 32, 83 ; v. to drink, 

84 
braste, burst, 73 
Bridewell, 57, 87 
broused, bruised, 29 
bryberinge, stealing, 60 
Buckes, baskets, 21 

Buckingham, Duke of, beheaded, 

22 
bufe, a dog, 84 
bung, a purse, 83, 84, 86 



INDEX. 



109 



buslrill, ? bustle, wriggle, 15 

byehery, 67 

bycberye, whoring, 61 

byd, pray, 15 

byng a waste, go you hence, 84 

uakling chete, a cock, or capon, 83 
can skyl, know, 8 
cante, to speak, 84 

Canting, the language of vaga- 
bonds, 23 ; list of words, 82-4 ; 
specimen of, 84-6 

Capcases, covers for caps, small 
bandboxes, 65 

Capon hardy, 12. For 'capron 
hardy,' ' a notable whipster or twig- 
ger,' a bold or saucy .young scamp. 
(See the index to Caxton's Book 
of Curtesi/e, E. E. T. Soc, p. 54.) 

cassan, cheese, 83 

caster, a cloak, 82 

casting of the sledge, 46 

Caueat, a warning, 1 7 

Chafe litter, the knave, described, 

13 
chafer, heating dish, 59 
Charing Cross, 58 
chattes, the gallows, 84, 86 
Chayne, a gentleman, 58 
Cheapside, 57. 87 
Cheatours, card-sharpers enticing 

young men to their hosteries, win 

their money and depart, 7 
cheekeby cheeke (now 'by jowl'), 

12 
chete, animal, 83, col. 2, foot 
chetes, things, 42 
Choplogyke, description of, 15 
Christ, like a thief, 94, 95 
Christes Hospital, 8 
Clapperdogens, 44. See Palliards. 
Clement's Inn, 53 



clocke, a cloak, 55 

clyme three tres with a ladder, 

to ascend the gallows, 31 
cly the gerke, to be whipped, 84 

Cole, false, 15. (See Mr K. 
Morris in Notes and Queries, Oct., 
1869, on Col/ox, &c. 

Cole Prophet, description of, 15 

commission, a shirt, 83 

Commitour of Tidings, a tell-tale, 
14 

common, commune, 45 

conneys, rabbits, 35 

conneyskins, rabbitskins, 65 

connizance, cognizance, 35 

Cornwall, 48 

Cory fauell, a knave, described, 
16 

couch a hogshead, He down and 
sleep, 77, 84 

Counterfet Crankes, description 
of, 51 ; story of one that Harman 
watched, 5 L ; how he was dressed, 
51 ; his refusal to wash when bid- 
den, 52 ; gives the name of Genings, 
52 ; said he had been in Bethlehem 
Hospital, 52, which Harman found 
to be a lie, 53 ; in the middle of 
the day he goes into the fields and 
renews the ulood on his face, 53 ; 
what money he received, 53 ; at 
night he goes to Newington, where 
he is given in charge, 54 ; the 
amount of his gains, 55 ; his 
escape, 55; his recapture, 56, n. ; 
his punishment, 57) n. 

Cousoners, cheaters, 1 

Crashing chetes, teeth, 82 

crassinge chetes, apples, pears, or 
any other fruit, 84 

Cross Keys Inn in Cranford 
(Middlesex) or Crayford (Kent), 
77 

cuffen, fellow, 86. Sec Quyer. 
Cursetors, 17 ; explanation of, 
27 



110 



INDEX. 



Curtal, 37 

Curtail, one who is next in 

authority to an upright man, 4 
Curtesy man, described, 6 
cutte, to say, 84 

cutte bene whydds, speak or give 

good words, 84 
cutte benle, speak gently, 84 

cutte quyre whyddes, give evil 
words or evil language, 84 

darkemans, night, 84 

Dartford, 58 

David, a thief, 94, 95 

ded lyft, a ; last refuge, 34 

Dells, rogues' virgins, described, 
75 

Demaunder for glymmar, descrip- 
tion of, 61 ; story of one who be- 
haved courteously to one man and 
uncourteously to another, 61 — 65 

Deptford, 77 

Desmond, Earl of, 82 

Devil's Pater noster, 15 

Devonshire, 48 

dewse a vyle, the country, 84, 86 

Dialogue, between upright man 

and rogue, 84 — 87 
dokte, fornicated with, 87 

Dommerar, description of, 57 ; of 
one who was made to speak, and 
afterwards punished on the pillory, 
58, 59 

doson, dozen, 34 

Doxes, description of, 4, 6, 73 

Draw-th e-pudding-out-of-the-fire ; 

a beggars' inn at Harrow-on-the- 

Hill, 77 
drawers, hosen, 83 
Drawlatches, a class of beggars, 27 

Dronken Tinckar, description of, 
59 

drouselye, drowsily, 76 



dudes, cloths, 83 

dup the gyger, open the door, 84 

Dyng-thrift, description of, 15 

Egiptians, description of, 23 

Esau, a thief, 94, 95 

Esaye, Isaiah, 24 

Esen Droppers, eaves-droppers, 15 

exonerate, empty (one's belly), 55 

factors, tax-gatherers, 45 
fambles, hands, 82 ; f amble, 87 

fambling chete, ring on the hand, 

82 
Fay tores, a class of beggars, 27 
ferres, 35, ferries 

Filtchman, the truncheon of a 

staff, 4 
Fingerers, 7 — 9. See Cheatours. 

for knowing ; against, to prevent, 

being recognized, 71 
flagg, a groat, 83, 85 
flebytinge, 73 

fletinge Fellowshyp, the company 
of vagabonds, 24 

Frater, one who goes with a licence 
to beg for some Spittlehouse or 
Hospital, but who usually robs 
poor women, 4 ; description of, 45 

Freshwater Mariner, description 

of, 48 
Furmenty, 22 
fustian fume, 46 
fylche, to beat, to rob, 84 
fylthy firy flankard, 29 
fynesed, finished, 70 
Fyngerer, 8, 9 

gage, a quart pot, 83 

of bowse, a quart of drink, 34 



gaily slopes, breeches, 35 
gan, a mouth, 82 



INDEX. 



Ill 



gealy gealowsit, good fellowship, 
55 

gentry cofes ken, a noble or gentle- 
man's house, 83 

gentry morte, a noble or gentle- 
woman, 84 

Genynges, Nicolas, a counterfeit 
cranke, 50, 87 

gestes, guests, 61 

Glasyers, eyes, 82 

glimmeringe morte, a woman who 
travels the country begging, saying 
her goods have been burnt, 61 

glymmar, fire, 61, 83 

grannam, corn, 83 

Grauesend barge, a resort of vaga- 
bonds and knaves, 1 
graunt, agree, 53 
greffe, grief, 55 

Grene Winchard, description of a, 

14 
Groundworke of Conny-catching, 

97 
grunting chete, or patricos kynch- 

en, a pig, 83 

Gryffith, Wylliam, a printer, 17 
Gybe, a licence, 4 ; a writing, 83 
gygger, a door, 83, 85 
Gyle Hather, description of, 14 
gyllot, a whore, 71 

Haben, a witty parson, 92 
hande charcher, handkerchief, 72 
Harman beck, constable, 84 

Harman, Thomas, his Caveat, 
17-91 ; epistle to the reader, 27 ; 
his old tenant, 30 ; his copper cauld- 
ron stolen, 35 ; recovered, 35 ; no- 
tice to tinkers of the loss of his 
cauldron, 35; his gelding stolen, 
44; in commission of the peace, 60 ; 
paid for beggars' secrets, 74 
Harmans, the stocks, 84 
Hairow-on-the-Hill, inn at, 77 



Hartley Eow in Hampshire, 92, 
93 

Hearing chetes, ears, 82 

heauing of the bowth, robbing 
the booth, 4 

Helpers of rogues, 9 

Helycon, 28 

heue a bough, rob a booth, 84 

Hill's, Mr, Eents, 57 

him redundant: leapes him, 43, 
1. 24 

Hoker, or Angglear, description 
of, 35 ; anecdote of one who took 
the clothes of the bed in which 3 
men were sleeping, without awak- 
ing them, 36 

Holborn, 54 

hollo we hosteler, 63 

horse locke, 39 

hosen, breeches, 71, 72 

hosted, lodged, 57, n. 

hosteries, card-sharpers' resorts, 9 

House of Pity, inn in Northall, 

77 
hoyssed, hoisted, 20 
huggeringe, loitering, 43 
Hyberdyne, a parson, 93 
hygh, hie, 33 
hygh pad, highway, 84 

Jacob, a thief, 94, 95 

Iarckeman, a maker of counterfeit 
licences, 5, 60 

Iarckes, seals, 4 

Iarke, a seal, 83 

ich, I, 8 

Jeffrey Gods Fo, a liar, 13 

Ingratus, an ungrateful knave, 1 6 

in printe, meaning ' correct,' 45 

Iockam, yard, penis, 87 

iompe, jump, plump, exactly, 44 



112 



INDEX. 



Irishe toyle, a beggar, 5 
Irish rogues, 44, 48 
Isleworth (Thystellworth), St Ju- 
lian's, a beggars' inn at, 77 
Iusticers, Justices, 21 

Karle, a knave, 8 

ken, a house, 83, 84, 86 

Kent, a man of worship in, death 

of, 22 
Kent, mentioned, 37, 43, 48, 61, 

63, 66, 68, 77 
Kent St, Southwark, 57 

Ketbrolce, a beggars' inn, near 

Blackheath, 77 
kinde, nature, 52 
Kitchen Co, a boy, 5, 76 

Morte, a girl, 5, 76 

Knapsbery (inn near London), 77 
Knaues, 25 orders of, 1 
, quartern of, 1 

Kynges barne, beggars' inn in 
Kent, 77 

lage, water, 83 

lag of dudes, a bucke of clothes, 83 

lap, butter, milk, or whey, 83 

lasy Lorrels, 82 

lecherous husband cured, 68-73 

Leicester, 56 

lewed lecherous loyteringe, 31 

lewtering Luskes, 82 

licoryce knaue, a drunkard, 13 

lightmans, day, 84 

(Lincoln's Inn) Fields, 53 

London, 30, 42, 49 

lousey leuterars, vagabonds, 22 

lowhinge chete, a cow, 83 

lowre, money, 83, 85, 86 

Lubbares, lubbers, 47 



luckly, lucky, 19 

Ludgate, 57 

lybbege, a bed, 83 

lybbet, a stick, 26 

lykinge, lustful, 21 

Lynx eyes, 54. (See Index to 

Hampole's Pricke of Conscience.) 
Lypken, a house to lie in, 83 

make,, halfpenny, 83 
make (think) it strange, 41 
makes, mates, 23 
mammerings, mumblings, 72 
manerly marian, 62 
margery prater, a hen, 83 

Mariner, one at Portsmouth the 
maker of counterfeit licences for 
Freshwater mariners, 49 

matche of wrastlinge, 46 

maunde, ask or require, 84, 85 

Messenger, lone, an honest bawdy 

basket, 65 
Milling of the ken, sending 

children into houses to rob, 67 
mofling chete, a napkin, 83 
mounched, eat, 72 
mounch-present, one who, being 

sent by his master with a preset 

must taste of it himself, 14 

myll a ken, rob a house, 84 
mynt, gold, 83 

Nab, a head, 82, 86 

Nabchet, a hat or cap, 82 

nase, drunken, 86 

Kewhaven, 67 

Newington, 54, 56 

Nichol Hartles, a coward, 1 3 

Northall, beggars' inn at, 77 

nosegent, a nun, 83 

nouels, news, 14 

Nunquam, a loitering servant, 16 



V* 



INDEX. 



113 



nygle, haue to do with a woman 

carnally, 84 
nyp a boung, to cut a purse, 84 

Obloquium, a malapert knave, 13 
occupying, holding of land, 38 
of, off, 39 
oysters of East Kent, 68 

Palliards, description of, 4, 44 ; 
doings of, 44; list of names of, 81, 82 
pannam, bread, 83 
Param, milk, 83, n. 
patrico, a priest, 6, 60 
paulmistrie, fortune-telling, 23 
pecke, meat, 86 

peddelars Frenche. See Canting, 
pek, meat, 83 

peld pate, head uncovered, 34 
pelte, clothes, 76 

peltinge, ? paltry, contemptible, 
20 

Penner, a pen-case, 54 

pens, pence, 55 

pickthanke knaue, 14 

pillory in Cheapside, 57 

pitching of the barre, 46 

pity: it pytied him at the hart, 

41 
poppelars, porridge, 83 
porte sale, ? quick sale, 77 
Portsmouth, 49 
Poules, St Paul's, 8 
prat, a buttocke, 82 
prating knaue, 15 
pratling chete, a tongue, 82 
Drauncer, a horse, 83 

trigger of Paulfreys, a stealer of 

horses, 4 
Proctour, a liar, 1 4 ; keeper of 

a spittlebouse, 45 



Proverbs : 
although Truth be blamed, it shall 

never be shamed, 28 
as the begger knowes his dishe, 32 
don't wake the sleeping dog, 73 
God hath done his part, 48 
out of sight, out of minde, 32 
swete meate wyll haue sowre sawce, 

72 

prygge, to ride, 84 

Prygger of Prauncers, description 
of, 42 ; a story of a gentleman who 
lost his horse by giving it in charge 
for a short time to a * priggar,' 43 

Prygges, tinkers, 59 

Prygman, one who steals clothes 
off hedges, and a robber of poultry, 3 

quakinge chete, or red shanke, a 

drake or duck, 83 
quaromes, a body, 82 
Queen Elizabeth, 21 
quier, nought, 83 

Quier crampringes, bolts or fetters, 
84, 86 

Quire bird, one lately come out of 
prison, 4- 

quyer cuffyn, justice of the peace, 

84, 86 
Quyerkyn, prison house, 84, 86 

rabblement, 19 

rakehelles, 19 

Ratsbane, 44 

rechles, reckless, 15 

rifflinge, 32 

Rince pytcher, a drunkard, 1 3 

Eing chopper, description of, 1 1 

faller, description of, 10 



Robardesmen, robbers, 27. See 
William of Nassington's description 
of them quoted in Notes 8f Queries 
by F. J. F., 1869 ; and The Vision 
of Piers Plowman, ed. Wright, ii. 
506, 521. 



8 



114 



INDEX. 



Kobin goodfelow, 36 
Rochester, 66 

Rogeman, a receiver of stolen 

clothes, 3 
Roger, or tyb of the buttery, a 

goose, 83 
Roges, description of, 36 ; subject 

to beastly diseases, 37 ; list of 

names of, 80, 81 

Rogues, a story of two, who made 
the acquaintance of a parson at an 
ale-house, and afterwards went to 
his house and robbed him, 37 

Rome bouse, wine, 83 

Rome mort, the Queen, 84 

Rome vyle, London, 84 

Rothered in Kent, 77 

rowsey, trough, or frowzy, 19 

Royal Exchange, 8 

roylynge, travelling, 31 

ruffe, rough, 33 

Ruffeler, a robber of ' wayfaring 
men and market women/ 3, 29 ; 
a story of one who robbed an old 
man, a tenant of Harman's, on 
Blackheath, 30 

ruffian cly the, devil take thee, 84 

ruffian, to the, 84, to the devil 

ruffmans, woods or bushes, 84 

ruff pek, bacon, 83 

ruysting, roystering, 32 

Salomon, an altar, or mass, 83 

sawght, sought, 62 

Saynt Augustyn, 24 

scelorous, wicked, 20 

sewerly, surely, 50 

Shifters, 1 

ehotars hyl, Shooter's Hill, 30 

Shreeues, sheriffs, 21 

Shrewd turne, 1 sharp handling, 
hard usage, 15 



Shrewsbury, Elizabeth Countess 

of, Harman's dedication to, 19 
shrodge, shrugged, hugged, 71 

Simon soone agon, a loitering 

knave, 13 
skew, a cup, 83 

Skoller, a waterman (and his 

boat), 54 
skower the cramprings, wear bolts 

or fetters, 84 
skypper, a barn, 83 

slates, sheets to lie in, 61, 76, 77, 

83 
small breefe, old briefe of vaca- 

bonds, meaning Awdeley's book, 20 
smell feastes, 46 

smelling chete, a nose, 82 ; a 

garden or orchard, 84 
snowte fayre, fair-faced, 61 
sod, boiled, 22 
Somersetshire, 61 

soup, chewed, to produce foam- 
ing at the mouth, 51 
Spanlles, spaniel-dogs, 33 
Spearwort, 44 
Spice-cakes, 12 

spitlehouse, 45 ; row in a, 45 ; 
the constable wants to take in cus- 
tody the roysterers, 46 ; the good 
wife of the house intreats him for 
her guests, and while so doing the 
next door neighbours enter the kit- 
chen, and steal the supper that she 
was preparing, 46 

squaymysh, squeamish, 55 

St. George's Fields, 54 

St. Giles's in the Fields, 54 

St. Julian's (inn in Thystellworth ; 

Isleworth), 77 
St. Quinten's (inn near London), 

77 
St. Tybbe's (inn near London), 

77 
stall, to make or ordain, 84 



INfiF.X. 



115 



stalling to the rogue, ceremony of, 

34 
stampers, shoes, 83 
stampes, legs, 82 

Statutes, i. Edw. VI. c.iii, p. 20, n.; 
xxvii. Hen. VIII. for punishment 
of vagabonds, 29 

staulinge ken, a houee that will 

receive stolen wares, 32, 83 
stihber gibber knaue, a liar, 14 
stow you, hold your peace, 84 
Stradlynge, an Abraham man, 47 
strommell, straw, 83 
Sturton, Lord, 48 
summer-games, 47 

surgeon, who strung up the dumb 

rogue, 58-9 
Swadders and Pedlers, description 

of, 60 
Swygman, a pedlar, 5 

tempering, tampering, 70 

Temple Bar, 53 

'Thank God of all,* 67 (cp. 
Shakspere's 'Thank God you are 
rid of a knave.' Much Ado, iii. 3.) 

the, thee, 55 

Thieves, a sermon in praise of, 
92 

' Three trees,' the gallows, 31 

tickle in the ear, gammon, 9 

Tinkard, a beggar, 5 

tiplinge[house], an ale-house, 40 

tittiuell knaue, a tale-bearer, 15 

togeman, a coat, 77, 82 

tortylles, turtle-doves, lovers, 62 

towre, see, 84, 85 

trashe, goods, 77 

trininge, hanging, the end of 
roges, 37, 84 

Troll and troll by, a knave, de- 
scribed, 12 



Troll Hazard of Trace, a knave, 12 
Troll Hazard of tritrace, a knave, 

13 
Troll with, a knave, 12 
Truth, proverb as to, 28 
tryninge, hanging, 84 
twin'd hempe, rope and gallows, 

29 (cp. Bulleyn in The Babees Book, 

p. 240-3) 
Two Gent, of Verona, 45 
Tynckars, Harman sends notice 

of the stealing of his cauldron to 

the, 35 
typ, secret, 20 
typlinge houses, alehouses, 24 

Vacabonde — one being caught, 
and brought before the justices of 
the peace, promised to tell them 
the names and degrees of his fel- 
lows, on condition that he escaped 
punishment, which being granted, 
ne fulfilled his promise, and Awde- 
ley obtained the materials for his 
book, 2 

Vacabondes, beggerly, 1 ; ruflyng, 
1; 'theoldbriefe'of,60 

Vagabondes, their vsage in the 
night, 76 

Vagabonds, account of the doings 
of, at the funeral of a man of wor- 
ship in Kent, 22 

vagarantes, 19 

Vngracious, a man who will not 
work, 15 

Vnthrift, a reckless knave, 15 

vntrus, to undress, 72 

Vpright man, description of, 1, 4, 
31 

Vpright men, list of the names of, 
78, 79, 80 

Vrmond, Earle of, 82 

walkinge mortes, description of, 
67 ; a story of a trick that one 
played on a man who would have 



116 



INDEX. 



had to do with her, and the punish- 
ment he received instead, 67 — 73 
wannion, a curse, 62 
wappinge, fornicating, 87 

Washman, one who shams lame- 
ness, sickness, etc., 5 
waste, bynge a ; go hence, 84, 86 
watch, the constable, 45 

watch e, person, 61 ; our watche, 

us, 86 
Welsh rogues, 44, 57 
Whistle, anecdote of the, 61-5 
Whipiacke, a robber of booths 

and stalls, 4 
Whitefriars, 51, 56 
whydds, words, 84, 86 
whystell, whistle, 62 
whyte money, silver, 42 



wilde roge, description of, 1 1 ; 
story of one robbing a man, of whom 
he had just begged, 42 

wilde roge's reason for being a 
beggar, 42 

windless, out of breath, 73 

windshaken knaue, 66 

woode, mad, 14 

Wostestowe, a servant of the 

Lord Keeper's, 58 
wyld Dell, description of, 75 
wyn, a penny, 83 

yannam, bread, 83, n. 
yaram, milk, 83 
yemen, yeomen, 22 
ynkell, tape, 65 



JiicharU ttay <L bona, LumttU, London and banyay. 



